Ahmadinejad advises US to quit Mideast

 Source: alalam.ir, 04-03-2008
BAGHDAD-Iranian president Ahmadinejad has said that the US military is crippling the Middle East region.
President Ahmadinejad made the remarks after wrapping up his landmark visit to Iraq. He was the first Iranian leader to visit Iraq since 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran.
Ahmadinejad and his delegation ended their visit to the country by attending an official ceremony at the Iraqi President Jalal Talabani's Baghdad residency.
Speaking at a news conference before his departure, Ahmadinejad dismissed US accusations that his country was training extremists and demanded that the Americans withdraw from Iraq.
He said the US allegations that Iran was training insurgents who target the US troops were based on "erroneous information".
"Of course American officials make such remarks and such statements, and we do not care ... because they make statements on the basis of erroneous information," the president said, adding: "We cannot count on what they say."
Ahmadinejad blamed Washington for bringing terrorism to the Middle East, saying: "Six years ago there was no terrorism in our region. As soon as strangers put their foot in the region, the terrorists came here."
"The presence of foreigners in the region has been to the detriment of the nations of the region,'' Ahmadinejad said during a news conference.
"It is nothing but a humiliation to the regional nations.''
During the visit Ahmadinejad was warmly received by President Talabani, a Sunni Kurd, and other Iraqi leaders.
In front of live TV crews, Ahmadinejad also held hands and exchanged kisses with the president, Talabani, who told Ahmadinejad to call him "Uncle Jalal.''
Ahmadinejad repeatedly referred to Iraq as a "brotherly'' neighbor.
He also took a swipe at President George W. Bush for the tight security bubble around his visits to the country.
Unlike Bush's trips to Iraq, Ahmadinejad announced his journey in advance, drove in a motorcade down Baghdad's airport road -- once known as "The Highway of Death'' -- spent the night and even traveled to a Shiite holy shrine in northern Baghdad.
"The visits should be declared and open. And all those who come on stealth visits, we should ask them why they visit this country in a stealth manner?'' Ahmadinejad said.
Before ending his historic trip on Monday, Ahmadinejad vowed that Iran would work "as hard as it can" for Iraq.
Top Iraqi officials including Prime Minister Nuri Maliki and President Talabani gave him a farewell guard of honor.
Talabani's office hailed the support Iran had offered to Iraq's sovereignty and unity.
"The two parties also decided to secure their borders in order to prevent infiltration of terrorists and smugglers," the statement said.
Iran's relations with Iraq have drastically improved under the new Shiite-led government, with many leading politicians being former rebels who found sanctuary in Iran under Saddam's regime.
Trade between the two neighbors is brisk. Iran is also building a major airport to service the millions of pilgrims who visit the Shiite shrines of Najaf and Karbala, south of Baghdad.
The seven new deals signed by Iran on Monday cover "the development of relations and cooperation in the fields of insurance, customs, industry, education and transport," Ahmadinejad said.