Iranian DipIomat: Tehran Investigating Kurdish Link to Assassinations
23/01/2012 RUDAW EXCLUSIVE – ERBIL – In an exclusive interview with Rudaw, Sayed Azim Husseini, Iranian consul-general in Erbil, aid the Islamic Republic is investigating a report by the French Le Figaro that Israel had trained Iranian Kurdish militants to target Iranian scientists following the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist in Tehran last week.
Husseini maintained that Iran does not interfere in Iraq’s politics and said it isn’t fair to blame all Iraqi Sunni leaders for the current political crisis between Sunni and Shia leaders.
Rudaw: Iraqi Vice-President Tariq Al-Hashimi has been accused of involvement in terrorism. Sunni leaders say Shia Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki is trying to dominate the country’s political process. At the same time, there are reports that Iran has a hand in this crisis. Is this true?
Sayed Azim Hussaini: Undoubtedly we don’t have any role and this is Iraqi domestic issue. And we think it is not right to say the Sunnis, because not all Sunnis see this issue that way. For example, Usama Nujafi is a Sunni and he is the speaker of the Iraqi Parliament. He hasn’t cut himself off from the prime minister or other Iraqi officials. Perhaps Nujafi looks at the situation in a clear and objective way.
“In our view, the US is the big devil which is always working to unite the non-Muslims and to divide the Muslim countries.”
Rudaw: What do you think of Turkey’s actions as a party in this current crisis (in Iraq)?
Sayed Azim Husseini: That question should be answered by the Turks themselves.
Rudaw: What about the Kurdistan Region providing sanctuary for Hashimi and its refusal to hand him over to Baghdad?
Sayed Azim Husseini: Since Saddam’s regime was removed we have been hearing the slogan “rule of law.” So if the law is respected and the legal issues implemented, it will benefit all Iraqis.
Rudaw: Some US officials say that Iraq is leading toward a three-state partition. Does Iran have any fear of a scenario like that?
Sayed Azim Husseini: We have learned from Islam and our experience that the devil and its enemies don’t want any good things for Muslims. In our view, the US is the big devil which is always working to unite the non-Muslims and to divide the Muslim countries.
Rudaw: But the Americans talk about the reality of Iraq.
Sayed Azim Husseini: No, that’s not the reality. When did the struggle begin? Before the US invaded Iraq Iraq’s ethnic groups always lived together and didn’t have any problems. But as we know, the instability and bombings started after the invasion of Iraq. Before the Americans came, the Christians in Baghdad and other places lived without fear, but after the invaders arrived the attacks on Christian places started. They carried out the attacks and accused the Muslims of doing it. Or they would bomb the shrines and would accuse the Sunnis. They would target the Shia and accuse the Sunnis. That’s why if you look at the recent history we will see that whenever the US has gone into any country, they have made the problems far worse.
Did Al-Qaeda exist (in Iraq) before the US came? No, they were formed after the US came. The US and their local agents created those things. In Afghanistan, before the US came, people could plant only a few tons of drugs. Now they plant thousands of tons and the Americans are still there. So should we close our eyes to those truths and listen to the Americans who have been enemies of the Muslims from the start? If they are that smart let them solve their own issues, solve the Wall Street problem and the problem of the other 99 percent.
“Did Al-Qaeda exist (in Iraq) before the US came? No, they were formed after the US came.”
Rudaw: That means your government doesn’t feel threatened by the partition of Iraq?
Sayed Azim Husseini: Ten years ago the US was talking about a new Middle East and they wanted to formulate this region according to their and Israel’s interests, and now after ten years what has happened in the region? Israel has been placed in the most tension-ridden region and they can’t even defend themselves against the Palestinians, who face them with their own bare hands. No one remembered Palestine, but today everyone is talking about them. So the things they thought about, thankfully the opposite happened and without doubt the future of the Middle East is in the hands of the Muslims and it won’t be in the hands of tyrants.
Rudaw: Last week an Iranian nuclear scientist was murdered in Tehran. The Iranian government accused the US, Israel and Britain of perpetrating the crime. Has your government been able to locate the murderer?
Sayed Azim Husseini: Yes, there are clear signals and we have got information. A person has been arrested and he has revealed how he had been trained by Israel and paid US$50,000 for the killing. There is more information on this crime, some of which has been revealed and some that hasn’t been yet. Iran will have a strong response regarding this crime. Unfortunately the person (scientist) who died was very intelligent and an experienced expert who was the gift of the Islamic revolution. The thing that surprised us was that not even one media outlet from the Islamic countries talked about this crime, but when someone like Michael Jackson dies everyone talks about it.
Rudaw: The person you said has been arrested, is he an Iranian?
Sayed Azim Husseini: He was Iranian before.
Rudaw: Was there only one person?
Sayed Azim Husseini: No, they were a group, but the attacker was only one person.
“We will investigate this issue with Kurdistan Region officials and find out if it is true.”
Rudaw: Is he a member of any Iranian opposition party?
Sayed Azim Husseini: No.
Rudaw: The French daily Le Figaro recently published a report that claims the Kurdistan Region is being used by Israel to kill Iranian scientists. What is your take on this?
Sayed Azim Husseini: The US and Israel would use any opportunity and it is not unlikely that the territories of countries close to Iran are used for their work. We will investigate this issue with Kurdistan Region officials and find out if it is true.
Rudaw: That means you take this report very seriously?
Sayed Azim Husseini: We have to investigate, but we can’t see how serious it is because we haven’t followed it up. However, we have gotten used to hearing those talks and maybe it’s just an effort to cause tensions between Iran and its neighbors.
Rudaw: According to the report, Israel uses Iranian dissidents based in the Kurdistan Region for these operations. Is that true?
Sayed Azim Husseini: It’s natural to use those people, especially the organization of the apostates (Mujahiddin-al-Khliq) whose hands are red with Iraqi and Iranian blood. They are the enemy and if they see an opportunity they will use it. But will they do it in practice, is to be investigated.
Rudaw: There was a ceasefire between Iran and the Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK) rebels last year with Kurdistan officials mediating. But a few days ago, there were reports of renewed fights between Iranian troops and PJAK rebels. Has the ceasefire ended?
“Maybe it’s just an effort to cause tensions between Iran and its neighbors.”
Sayed Azim Husseini: No, there wasn’t any agreement, not written not verbal, not direct not indirect. We have an agreement with Iraq including the Kurdistan Region and that’s a natural thing to do. Besides, I don’t have any information about fighting going on or something like that.
Rudaw: Kurdistan Region is about to change its prime minister. In your opinion, what should the next cabinet do to improve its relationship with Iran?
Sayed Azim Husseini: Thank God our brothers in Iraq and Kurdistan have reached a level where they can control the situation and they can govern their country by themselves. We as a neighboring country always talk with our brothers here and any time they want to they talk to us as well. In our view right now there is a big Islamic uprising happening in the region, that’s why every government and media and everybody has to respect Islam and its values, and any government established here, we will have a good relations with and we will support it.
Rudaw: What are your views on Nechirvan Barzani, who is said to be the next Prime Minister?
Sayed Azim Husseini: We will respect our brothers’ decisions in the Kurdistan Region and anyone they choose we will continue to have good relations with. I have worked for three years here and when Nechirvan Barzani was Prime Minister I was here and now that Barham Salih is Prime Minister I’m still here. I haven’t seen any problems with relations with Iran. But in my view, the relationship and experience of Barzani with Iran is much closer than other people and maybe this experience becomes a factor in developing the relationship between Iran and the KRG.
Rudaw: Several weeks ago, the US State Department designated a Kurdish Islamic group as a terrorist group and said the group’s activists are based in Iran. What is your response to this?
Sayed Azim Husseini: The US is lying and their aim is to cause problems between Iran and the Kurdistan Region. They want to show that they are aware of everything and that’s part of the propaganda.