Iran urges Arab countries to eject U.S. militaryThe Associated Press
Published: December 5, 2006
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Iran's top national security official urged his Arab
neighbors Tuesday to eject the U.S. military from American bases in the region
and instead join Tehran in a regional security alliance.
Ali Larijani told Arab leaders attending a conference here that Washington is
indifferent to their interests and will cast them aside as soon as they are no
longer useful.
"The security and stability of the region needs to be attained and we should
do it inside the region, not through bringing in foreign forces," Larijani told
an audience of business and political leaders from the Arab world and elsewhere,
including the United States. "We should stand on our own feet."
Larijani assured Arab leaders listening to his speech that Iran seeks "peaceful
coexistence" and that could replace the security umbrella of U.S. bases now
present in the region, including in Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. Other countries
have strong military training and U.S. security guarantee deals.
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