A senior Iranian diplomat said insecurity in Iraq harmed Iran's interests in terms of security and diplomacy, the official IRNA news agency reported on Tuesday.

"An insecure Iraq can bring negative consequences as it can attract terrorists and be a pretext for allowing foreign troops to continue their stay in the country, which is opposed to Iran's policies," said Iranian charge d'affaires to Iraq Hassan Kazemi Qomi in an exclusive interview with IRNA.

Speaking from Baghdad, Qomi added that Iraq's insecurity would also delay the establishment of a stable government in the country, which would further delay the development of relations with other countries in the region.

He stressed that the incumbent transitional government was formed under the will of the Iraqi people and its legitimacy was undeniable.

The diplomat also rejected the allegation that Iran was interfering in Iraq's internal affairs, saying the Iraqi people and the Iraqi government were fully aware of the allegations against Iran were fabricated.

Qomi reiterated Tehran's call for a withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq, saying Iran shared the views of the Iraqi people for a pullout of foreign forces from the country as soon as possible.

Iran has been keeping a close watch on its western neighbor since the downfall of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Tehran has also been urging the foreign troops to withdraw from Iraq, saying the end of occupation in Iraq was a necessary step to the restoration of peace and stability to the war-torn country.

Source: Xinhua