Iran not interfering in Iraq: Jaafari

Iraqi Prime Minister Ibra-him Jaafari on Thursday rejected British accusations that Shi'ite Muslim Iran was interfering in Iraq's internal a...

Iraqi Prime Minister Ibra-him Jaafari on Thursday rejected British accusations that Shi’ite Muslim Iran was interfering in Iraq’s internal affairs.

Jaafari told Iranian state TV: “Such accusations are baseless and we do not agree with them at all…. Relations between Iran and Iraq are currently very friendly and strong. We are proud of the situation.”

Jaafari also said, “There are some people who want to harm our existing friendly relations with Iran. But we will not let them do so. We are determined to expand our relations every day.”

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British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Thursday that evidence pointed to Iran or its Lebanese Hezbollah allies as the source of explosives used in roadside bombs in Iraq, although Britain did not have conclusive proof. Tehran denies it helps militants in Iraq.

Jaafari said an Iraqi cabinet minister would soon be visiting Iran to follow up on recently signed agreements that have considerably improved relations since the fall of Saddam Hussein, under whom the two countries fought a bitter decade of war in the 1980s.

Iran reports advances in its nuclear programme

TEHRAN: Iran has made progress in its nuclear fuel cycle programme,President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said. “We are one step ahead of two months ago,’’ he told state TV.He also said that Iran was studying offers by several European countries for negotiations over its nuclear programme, but warned that Tehran will not accept talks that are conditional on denying the country its right to enrich uranium. AP/PTI