Special report: Tension escalates in Iraq

Special Report: Iran Nuclear Crisis    

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani (R) shakes hands with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad upon his arrival in Baghdad March 2, 2008. Ahmadinejad arrived in Baghdad on Sunday, the first Iranian president to visit Iraq since the two neighbours fought a bitter eight-year war in the 1980s that killed a million people. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    TEHRAN, March 2 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini announced on Sunday that Iran and Iraq are to review the issue of the two countries' joint oil wells, the official IRNA news agency reported.

    He told reporters during his weekly press briefing that a joint committee, to be formed in the next two months, will discuss the joint oil wells issue.

    On the activities of Mujahideen Khalq Organization (MKO) members in Iraq, he said that the MKO members should leave Iraq according to the decision made by the Iraqi government.

    As to Iran's allocation of a one-billion-dollar loan to Iraq, he said the amount will be spent on projects being carried out by Iranian companies.

    The Foreign Ministry spokesman also pointed out that the current visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Iraq is an indication of Iran's honesty in supporting the Iraqi government.

    The objective of Ahmadinejad's visit is to create convergence among regional states and to prevent interference of foreign states in domestic affairs of the regional countries, he added.

    Ahmadinejad paid on Sunday a landmark visit to Iraq, the first for an Iranian president since Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979.

    Ahmadinejad was received by his Iraqi counterpart Jalal Talabani in his residence at the edge of the heavily fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad, which houses the Iraqi government offices and foreign embassies, including the U.S. one.

    Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Feb. 14 that in his two-day visit, Ahmadinejad was scheduled to hold talks with Talabani and Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

    The leaders would discuss bilateral relations and joint projects, he said.

    During Ahmadinejad's visit, the two sides are expected sign up to 10 economic agreements