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Tehran, Dec 11, IRNA -- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi said on Wednesday that Iran had not any role in the process of negotiations among the Iraqi opposition groups.
Speaking in a weekly briefing, Asefi said that Iraqi opposition leaders Masoud Barzani and Jalal Talebani had come to Iran to hold talks with Head of Supreme Assembly of the Islamic Revolution of Iraq (SAIRI) Ayatollah Mohammad Baqer Hakim ahead of a conference scheduled to be held in London on Friday.
He said that Iran will not take part in the conference even as an observer.
Asked about presence of an American observer in the current of negotiations among Iraqi opposition leaders, he said, "It is something new. I don't think such a thing has happened before."
On the continued detention of a student arrested on pilgrimage to holy Karbala, he said that Iraqi charge d'affaires has been summoned to the foreign ministry several time to convey Iran's concern about detention of the Iranian pilgrim.
"We have told the Iraqi envoy that continued detention of the Iranian student may have negative impact on Tehran-Baghdad relations."
On Iran-US relations, Asefi rejected the report that former foreign minister Ali Akbar Velayati has held negotiations with the American officials.
"Neither Dr. Velayati, nor other official from Iran has held negotiations with the US officials," he said.
Answering a question on presence of deputy foreign minister Mohsen Aminzadeh in the court hearing against three pollsters, Asefi said that Mr. Aminzadeh has been in the court not as a defendant, but as an informed in the case.
"In the case of the Berlin court last year, the Foreign Ministry officials had attended the court too," he said.
On Minister of Culture and the Islamic Guidance Ahmad Masjed Jamei's directive to the Islamic Republic of Iran Police (IRIP) to fingerprint American reporters upon entry to Iran, Asefi said that it is a tit for tat action when the US requires that Iranian reporters be fingerprinted on entry to the United States.
Masjed Jamei has issued the directive to reciprocate the American action and defend the prestige of Iranians, he said.
On Iranian relations with the European Union (EU), Asefi said that Iran and the EU will hold multilateral talks in Brussels tomorrow to exchange views on a general political accord.
He said that Iran-EU talks will proceed on matters concerning political, economic issues and consultations on regional and international issues.
On resumption of Tehran-Cairo relations, Asefi said, "We should not make haste to restore relations with Egypt. Negotiations between the two countries should pass its normal course."
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