Cairo: President Hosni Mubarak’s warnings for Iran not to interfere in Iraq as the oil-rich Arab country continues its downward spiral to civil war is part and parcel of Egypt’s foreign policy, experts have said.
Head of the International Relations Unit at Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies Hassan Abu Taleb told The Daily Star Egypt that Egyptian policy aims for non-intervention in Iraqi affairs so as not to affect the fragile unity of the country.
“It has been Egyptian policy for some time that they don’t want any sort of intervention in Iraq, Abu Taleb said, “because it complicates matters to the extreme. This is especially in the case of Iran as their intervention has undesirable repercussions.
Iran is trying to gain support in Iraq and in the region and I say to all: don t touch Iraq, said Mubarak to the Egyptian weekly Al-Osboa. “Iraq is capable of maintaining its unity if the regional and international forces stop interfering in its affairs. But if the current situation continues, the fear is that Iraq will be transformed into warring states.
Abu Taleb said that Egypt is aiming for a more stable situation so that US-led occupation forces can withdraw. “Egypt is seeking a regional agreement over Iraq to get the Americans and British out of the country. Therefore, Iranian intervention is unwanted in this case, he said.
“Those looking to destroy the region must understand that the dangers of [partitioning Iraq] will have negative repercussions on the whole world, Mubarak said.
Abu Taleb stated “Egypt sees Iran’s role in Iraq as an impulsive one and that it must stop. Iran must display its goodwill by lifting its hands off certain groups within Iraq with pro-Iranian ideologies.
Mubarak had stated in April that Iraq’s Shiites were more loyal to Iran than to their own country.
