Iran says 'terrorists' should not be let into Iraq

TEHRAN - Iran, accused by the United States of stirring up an Iraqi insurgency, said today "terrorist" groups should be stopped from entering Iraq because they created an excuse for foreign troops to stay.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also said in a speech to a meeting of ministers from Baghdad's neighbours that surrounding states were committed to ensuring stability in Iraq.

"It is necessary to stop the crossing of terrorist groups into Iraq who aim at creating insecurity, hatred and differences, and pave the way for the presence of foreign forces in Iraq," Ahmadinejad told the foreign ministers in Tehran.

He did not say from where or how the groups were entering.

Washington accuses Tehran of backing anti-US insurgents in Iraq, a charge Tehran denies saying the US occupation is to blame for the instability.

"We are all committed to try to restore stability, security and progress in Iraq," Ahmadinejad told the gathering.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki called for a timetable to be drawn up for foreign forces to leave and said Iraq's neighbours should not be blamed for the country's problems.

"It is impossible to bestow freedom and democracy by resorting to violence and to cover up the failures in Iraq by accusing and conspiring against its neighbours," he said in a speech to the closed session, a copy of which was handed out.

Syria has also been accused by Washington of not doing enough to stop militants crossing into Iraq. Asked what more Damascus could do to secure its border, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem said: "We are doing our best."

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari said Iraq wanted neighbouring states to help improve security and to support the new government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and its national reconciliation plan.

"We asked them to use their influence over all the groups to participate, to embrace this national reconciliation initiative," Zebari told reporters without naming the groups.

Iraqi officials have said some Iraqi insurgents have asked Arab states to act as mediators following the offer of dialogue.

Most Arab states are ruled by Sunni Arabs, the majority sect within Islam, and some of these view with suspicion Iraq's Shi'ite majority. Non-Arab Iran is also mainly Shi'ite.

Ministers and officials from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Turkey were among those attending the meeting that ends tomorrow, as well as Egypt, which does not share a border with Iraq. Arab League chief Amr Moussa also attended.

- REUTERS