TV host: The Iranian ambassador in Iraq has denied US allegations about Iranian meddling in provincial council elections. In your view, to what extent is Iran’s involvement in Iraq? Is it truly intervening in Iraqi affairs?
Seyed Ayad Jamaluddin, member of the Iraqi parliament: … With regards to Iranian meddling in Iraq I must say that it is something that you sense but cannot really explain! It’s really more analogous to a feeling of love or hate. One can feel or sense love but is incapable of seeing it or pointing to it and say: ‘look this is love.’ The same is true with regards to the feeling of hate. This can also be said about Iran’s interference in Iraq. One can feel it, but is incapable of precisely describing it. Iran has control and hegemony in all aspects of life in Iraq, be it political, economic, religious, cultural or others. The parliament, the government, both the previous and current provincial councils, and regional governments are all influenced by Iran. Whoever opposes Iran would practically have no place in Iraq. They employ all tools, including militias who murder and even conduct character assassinations. As such, in my opinion, the war for liberating Iraq has started with a view on the Iranian invasion. It is not as you reported that the war is between the Americans and the Iranians. The era of American presence in Iraq has come to an end and they are in the process of leaving Iraq. As Obama has said, Iraq will be left in the hands of the Iraqis. The war to liberate Iraq has started with a view toward the Iranian influence. The best and brightest of Iraq must do something in this regard. I am not referring to ethnic or religious fanatics. In Iraq there are those who, from various viewpoints, hate Iran. Some hate Iran because they are Persians, while they themselves are Arabs. But, we are not like that. We say that Iran is our respected and admired neighbour, and it is a friend. But, it has its own place in its own land and not in Iraq. Iran and Iraq are two separate and distinct countries. We want neighbourly relations with Iran, and do not welcome its involvement in our affairs. This means that if they seek to swallow Iraq whole, then they must realize that Iraq is too big of a meal for Iran or any other country to swallow.
One of the indications of Iranian influence in Iraq is the foolish campaign waged against the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) in Iraq, which is conducted by some Iraqi political forces. This is first and foremost a demonizing campaign. They say that the PMOI was involved in suppressing the people’s uprisings and its hands are tainted with Iraqi blood. This is a sheer lie. It is untrue, and amounts to nothing but an unfounded fabrication, which has no truth to it at all. The PMOI has never participated in the suppression of Iraqi revolts.
Host: Do you have any evidence to back up your claim?
Seyed Ayad Jamaluddin: The burden of proof here is on those who make the allegations. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. If Iranian agents in Iraq had even a shred of evidence against the PMOI, they must have presented it to the supreme criminal court, as they did with Saddam, Chemical Ali and others. Why have they not tried even a single PMOI member?
Host: Today we talked about Iranian interference in elections. How was this done and what is the extent of the involvement?
Seyed Ayad Jamaluddin: The Iranian ambassador in Iraq says that you should show evidence of Iranian involvement. By which he means show me an Iranian who is doing the meddling! I say that you’re right, that there is no Iranian that is directly meddling! This is because the Iraqi agents of Iran are doing the dirty work. Iran’s Iraqi agents are ideological agents, and they do the meddling for Iran because they believe in the principle of ‘velayat-e faqih’ [absolute clerical supremacy]. They don’t do it just for the money, because if it was just for the money then anybody could buy them back and pay them to refrain from doing such things. But, these are ideological spies who believe they are doing God’s work spying for Iran. They are the ones who favour the interests of Iran over the interests of Iraq. They are the same people who are waging a war against the PMOI. Why? Because first of all, there are some disputes between Iran and Iraq, such as the issue of Shatt al-Arab, the stealing of the Majnoun oil [wells shared by Iran and Iraq] the issue of militias Iran has planted in Iraq, as well as the PMOI! Therefore, these issues must be resolved as a complete whole between Iran and Iraq. The Iraqi government has no leverage with which to pressure the Iranian government, except the PMOI. Therefore, we must resolve everything as an entire set of issues when making deals. I tell them that OK, we will definitely expel the PMOI, but in return you have to put an end to the activities of militias, refrain from stealing Majnoun oil, and settle the issue of Shatt al-Arab.
Host: Will there be any negotiations in this regard with the Iranian government?
Seyed Ayad Jamaluddin: There are no negotiations taking place. You, as well as the entire world, have heard what [Iraqi National Security Advisor] Muwaffaq al-Rubaie said in Tehran. He says that we will expel the PMOI. I ask Muwaffaq al-Rubaie: Why? Are you an Iraqi official or an Iranian official? If you are an Iraqi official, then you must demand something from Iran in return. Tell them that the cost is for Iran to stop training militias, stop stealing Majnoun oil, and resolve the Shatt al-Arab dispute. You would do that as an Iraqi official. But, if you are an Iranian authority instead, then you’re free to demand the PMOI’s expulsion. We are saying that the Iraqi government must be a government that sets and follows an Iraqi plan and not an Iranian agenda.