TEHRAN, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Saturday
criticized U.S. President George W. Bush's negative comments over Iraqi Prime
Minister Nouri al-Maliki's close ties with Tehran, saying the U.S. needs a
"wise" leader to regain its damaged global image, the official IRNA news agency
reported.
"Wrong policies and incorrect decisions of the U.S.
government caused the instability in Iraq, even the American people don't like
the illogical approach of their government, the U.S. Congress election was a
proof," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini was quoted as saying.
Iranian foreign ministry spokesman
Mohammad Ali Hosseini speaks during a press conference in Tehran, in
April. Iran on Saturday criticized U.S. President George W. Bush's
negative comments over Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's close ties
with Tehran. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo
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Hosseini was referring to Bush's Republican party's
defeat in the U.S. Congress last November by the Democrats. "The Americans need
a wise leader to regain its global images," he added.
During Maliki's visit to Tehran, Iranian top leaders
in the past two days have vowed to help Iraq recover its peace and security
while telling Maliki that the withdrawal of the American forces from that
war-torn country was vital to its security and stability.
For his part, Maliki said Iran was "positive and
constructive" in helping his government to bring security in the war-torn
country, underlining that "Iran, Iraq and other countries in the region must
fight against terrorism."
However, U.S. President George W. Bush Thursday
showed his disagreement over Maliki's statement of Iran's "constructive" role in
Iraq.
"I will have to have a heart to heart with my friend
(Maliki) the prime minister if Iranians are constructive, since I don't believe
they are," Bush said at a press conference at the White House.
Maliki arrived Tehran Wednesday morning on a
three-day visit for talks with Iranian leaders on improving the security
situation in Iraq. It was Maliki's second visit to Iran since he took office in
2006.
During his visit, Maliki met with Iran's Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Judiciary Head
Ayatollah Mahmoud Shahroudi, Majlis (Iran's parliament) Speaker Gholam-Ali
Haddad-Adel as well as other senior officials.
The U.S. has repeatedly accused Tehran of supporting
Iraqi insurgents to fight with coalition forces and Iraqi government, but Iran
have denied all the accusations, saying Washington was trying to find excuses
for its failed policy in the Mideast.
Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki (L)
and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wave to journalists as they
attend an official meeting in Tehran August 8, 2007. (Xinhua/Reuters
Photo) Photo
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TEHRAN, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Top Iranian leaders have in the
past two days pledged help for Iraq to restore peace and security to visiting
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, while insisting that the withdrawal of U.S.
forces from the war-torn country is vital to its security and stability.
Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pledged Iran's role
in keeping the stability of the region, which, largely hinges on the stability
of the neighboring Iraq. Full story
WASHINGTON, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President George W. Bush said on Monday that he would continue efforts to isolate Iran because the government in Tehran is "not a force for good" in the world.
"Because of the actions of this government, this country is isolated, and we will continue to work to isolate it because they're not a force for good as far as we can see, they're a destabilizing influence wherever they are," Bush told reporters after talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai at Camp David. Full story
