Former foes Iran, Iraq start military cooperation

TEHRAN (Reuters) – Former foes Iran and Iraq said on
Thursday they would sign a military cooperation agreement which
will include Iranian help in training Iraq’s armed forces.

The agreement marks a considerable advance in relations
between the two countries who fought a bitter 1980-1988 war and
comes despite repeated U.S. accusations that Iran has
undermined security in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein in
2003.

“It’s a new chapter in our relations with Iraq. We will
start wide defense cooperations,” Iranian Defense Minister
Admiral Ali Shamkhani told a joint news conference with
visiting Iraqi counterpart Saadoun al-Dulaimi.

“We’re going to form some committees which will be involved
in mine clearance, identifying those missing from the war and
also … to help train, rebuild and modernise the Iraqi army.”

Iran last year offered to train Iraqi border guards, but
Iraq frostily declined the offer.

U.S. and Iraqi officials have often accused non-Arab Iran
of stirring up instability in Iraq. Tehran denies meddling in
Iraq or helping arms and foreign fighters cross its borders.

Asked about possible U.S. opposition to Iran-Iraq military
cooperation, Shamkhani said: “No one can prevent us from
reaching an agreement.”

Iraq’s al-Dulaimi echoed Shamkhani’s comments.

“Nobody can dictate to Iraq its relations with other
countries,” he said.