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United Nations, New York, Sept 14, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi in a meeting Saturday with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw described as "complicated" the situation in the region and said Israel had abused the Iraqi crisis in its favor.
He said the common sense rules that the Iraqi crisis be dealt with in more fundamental manner to prevent spreading tension to the entire region.
Kharrazi said Iran has sustained much loss from the Iraqi government but this does not mean that Iran be in support of military action against Iraq.
The fate of Iraq has to be determined by the Iraqi people, Kharrazi said.
Straw said the Security council of the United Nations is now conducting consultations for issuing a resolution on Iraq.
He said Iraq continues to be a big threat for all its neighbors.
He invited Kharrazi to pay visit London for talks on the regional and international issues.
In the meeting that was held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly's 57th annual session, Kharrazi voiced Iran's opposition to any military action against Iraq amid US threats to oust Saddam Hussein.
The Iranian foreign minister said Baghdad must observe UN resolutions and cooperate with the United Nations.
Kharrazi earlier held a meeting with Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jan Petersen in which the two sides expressed apprehension over the imminent situation in the Middle East.
Petersen hailed Iran's "invaluable" role in neighboring Afghanistan and called on the Islamic Republic to maintain its efforts for strengthening peace and security in that country.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Peterson pointed to "very massive" potentials which Iran and Norway have for cooperation in economic and industrial fields such as fisheries, oil, shipping and key industries.
Kharrazi outlined Iran's efforts to fight terrorism in Afghanistan, including its campaign to dry out poppy cultivation which, he described as the "backbone of terrorists".
Kharrazi cited formation of the national Afghan army as another key element which could return peace and security to Afghanistan.
Also in another development, the Romanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mircea Dan Geoana called for expansion of Tehran-Bucharest relations, stressing that Romania attaches great significance to Iran as a regional power.
Geoana said he would visit Iran soon to prepare the ground for future visits by Romanian high-ranking officials, including President Ion Iliescu and Prime Minister Adrian Nastase.
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