U.S. warns Iran on Iraq

United Press International: The U.S. State Department said Monday Iran must make its ties with Iraq “transparent” and stay out of its neighbor’s politics. “Iran’s relations with people inside Iraq are not transparent,” spokesman Richard Boucher said. “They need to be made transparent.” United Press International

Washington, DC – The U.S. State Department said Monday Iran must make its ties with Iraq “transparent” and stay out of its neighbor’s politics.

“Iran’s relations with people inside Iraq are not transparent,” spokesman Richard Boucher said. “They need to be made transparent.”

The comments come a day after U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice paid a surprise visit to Iraq where she urged the Shiite- and Kurdish- dominated government to include more Sunnis. Shiites are the largest faction in Iraq and are also a majority in Iran.

Boucher said Iran’s relations with Iraq should be friendly but free of political interference.

“They need to be normal relations, friendly relations, between neighbors, but they shouldn’t be in the nature of political influence, they should be in the nature of diplomatic relations,” he said.