Although kidnapping is not a new phenomenon in Iraq and many of such cases have occurred in this war-ravaged country, the unprovoked kidnapping of the Iranian diplomat who was carrying out his duties within the framework of law is a move, which would incur adverse consequences for those who support the group.
The group claims that the Iranian diplomat was detained for inciting strife and for activities outside his diplomatic duties.
This is an ill-founded reasoning. How can a diplomat organize and lead a civil war in an occupied country where hundreds of thousands of foreign troops are present?
After all, the kidnapping of diplomats does not help resolve the problems of the Iraqi people; rather, it exacerbates the situation in the country.
Unfortunately, this dangerous move took place at a time when certain members of the Iraqi interim government paved the grounds for such a move through their uncalculated remarks, which were a far cry from diplomatic norms.
The recent provocative remarks by the Iraqi Interior Minister and Defense Minister as well as the Governor of Najaf against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which are only meant to serve the occupiers, encouraged the terrorist groups to kidnap the Iranian diplomat.
These remarks, not conceptually different from those of the former Baathist officials, have provoked the ire of most Iraqi people because the Islamic Republic of Iran sided with the Iraqi nation during the 25-year Baathist regime of Saddam Hussein and has undergone numerous hardships.
Most of the Iraqi people have not yet forgotten that many of the Arab neighboring countries provided the ousted Iraqi regime with ample financial and political assistance so that it could suppress the innocent Iraqi nation while Iran was the only country, which did whatever was in its power for the Iraqi people.
During the short life of the interim government, certain officials are making efforts to create a rift between Iraq and Iran.
Although the U.S. is surely the main originator of these tensions, the Iraqi officials should take a lesson from the past and avoid being used as a tool in the hands of the U.S.
Today, the U.S. especially President George W. Bush is making efforts to use Iraq as an ace in the hole in the upcoming presidential election and settle account with the countries which are against the occupation of Iraq. However, the fact that some Iraqi officials are seeking to serve the U.S., will only beget disaster for the Iraqi nation.
Thus, the groups, which have kidnapped the Iranian diplomat no matter what their intention is, should realize that the Iranian nation has concern for the welfare of the Iraqi nation and that such moves would only serve the diabolical goals of the Washington officials.
FK/IS
END
MNA