Iran's foreign minister has rejected US suggestions that Tehran was interfering in Iraq and said it was not seeking to promote the political role of Shi'ite Muslims in its western neighbour.
Washington yesterday warned Tehran to stay out of Iraqi politics amid its concerns that Shi'ite Muslim Iran was seeking to encourage the creation of a fellow Islamic republic there.
"Naturally the majority of Iraq are Shi'ites but we are not insisting on [the role of the[ Shi'ites," Mr Kamal Kharrazi told a news conference.
"For us Shi'ites, Sunnis, Turks and Arabs are the same and everybody should play their role in a democratic Iraq," he said.