Iran demands $1 trillion in damages from Iraq

Iran demands $1 trillion in damages from Iraq

Iran’s takeover of a well in Fekka has instigated an onslaught of negative press, prompting the Iranian government to demand $1 trillion from the Iraq government for ‘compensation’.

December 20, 2009 12:40 by Dana El Baltaji

The head of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Islamic Shura Council, Hossein Ebrahimi, announced in Iran’s parliament on Saturday that according to estimates by the United Nations, Iraq owes Iran $1000 billion in damages, Arabic-language television channel Al Arabiya reported on Saturday.

In light of the recent allegations against Iran concerning the takeover of an oil well in a disputed area between Iraq and Iran, Iran claims it can no longer ignore the financial costs incurred by Iraq’s wars, and is now demanding compensation.

Last week, Iraniann soldiers occupied an oil well in the Fekka oilfield in Southern Iraq, prompting a barrage of reports accusing Iran of infiltrating its neighbor’s land, an accusation the Islamic republic refutes.

Hossein Ebrahimi said Iran hopes to settle the dispute “diplomatically,” and has no intention of damaging the nations’ relationship.

Meanwhile, the Iranian ambassador to Iraq met with Iraqi officials on Friday to discuss the presence of 11 Iranian soldiers holding the oil well, the French media reported.

Iraq’s foreign minister said that “the occupation of the fourth oil well continued on Saturday in spite of our objections.”

Mahmoud al-Haj Hammoud added that Iraqi officials “met with the Iranian ambassador to Iraq to express that the takeover is unacceptable, and our embassy in Iran and our foreign ministry have called for the Iranians to pull out of Fekka, but they have not done so as yet.”

Pages: 1 2

Tags: $1 trillion, Fekka, Iran, Iraq, occupation, oil well