INTERVIEW-Iraq minister says concerned about Iran instability

Reuters: Iraq is concerned about instability in neighbouring Iran, which is experiencing unrest in the aftermath of disputed presidential elections, but it respects Iran's decisions, Iraq's foreign minister said on Thursday.

TOKYO, June 18 (Reuters) – Iraq is concerned about instability in neighbouring Iran, which is experiencing unrest in the aftermath of disputed presidential elections, but it respects Iran's decisions, Iraq's foreign minister said on Thursday.

"Definitely Iran instability is of concern for us," Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told Reuters in an interview on Thursday.

"We as Iraqis respect the will of the Iranian people and we respect the political system, and we are not" in a position to pass judgment on their choices, he added.

Iran is seeing its worst unrest since the 1979 Islamic revolution as opposition protesters take to the streets in a rare challenge to authorities following the presidential elections. [ID:nLH619094]

Iran and Iraq fought a war in the 1980s, but since the ouster of Sunni Arab Saddam Hussein in 2003, relations between majority Shi'ite Muslim Iraq and Iran have improved. But the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq has a source of tension with Tehran. [ID:nLG715628]

Zebari, in Japan on a six-day trip until Monday, will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso to discuss improving Iraq's business environment to attract more Japanese investment. (Reporting by Yoko Kubota; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)