Chalabi, in Tehran, Meets With Iranian President Before Traveling to U.S. Next Week
now remember this bit of crap comes from the new York times so a portion of it is balderdash a portion is bullshit and a portion is maybe true. Its up to the reader to distinguish between the possibilities, and where the truth MAY lie
By DEXTER FILKINS
11/06/05 "New York Times" -- -- TEHRAN, Nov. 5 - Ahmad Chalabi, the former Iraqi exile who has become a deputy prime minister, met with senior Iranian leaders here on Saturday in what appeared to be an effort to distance himself from them, just days before he visits Washington.
In a series of closed meetings, Mr. Chalabi saw Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the tough-talking Iranian president; Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mattaki; and Ali Larijani, the head of the Iranian National Security Council.
Mr. Chalabi said he had spoken to the Iranians about an issue that seemed likely to endear him to the Americans: the question of Iranian interference in Iraq's domestic politics.
American and some Iraqi officials have long alleged that the Iranian government is deeply involved in Iraqi internal affairs, by directly assisting Iraqi political parties and private Shiite militias.
"The principal reason is to tell them about our concern about some of the activities in Iraq," Mr. Chalabi said of the Iranians. "We feel it is very important to address some of these issues, like border security and so on."
Mr. Chalabi said he also made clear to the Iranians that the Iraqi government would maintain close ties to the United States.
By DEXTER FILKINS
11/06/05 "New York Times" -- -- TEHRAN, Nov. 5 - Ahmad Chalabi, the former Iraqi exile who has become a deputy prime minister, met with senior Iranian leaders here on Saturday in what appeared to be an effort to distance himself from them, just days before he visits Washington.
In a series of closed meetings, Mr. Chalabi saw Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the tough-talking Iranian president; Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mattaki; and Ali Larijani, the head of the Iranian National Security Council.
Mr. Chalabi said he had spoken to the Iranians about an issue that seemed likely to endear him to the Americans: the question of Iranian interference in Iraq's domestic politics.
American and some Iraqi officials have long alleged that the Iranian government is deeply involved in Iraqi internal affairs, by directly assisting Iraqi political parties and private Shiite militias.
"The principal reason is to tell them about our concern about some of the activities in Iraq," Mr. Chalabi said of the Iranians. "We feel it is very important to address some of these issues, like border security and so on."
Mr. Chalabi said he also made clear to the Iranians that the Iraqi government would maintain close ties to the United States.
