Iran calls for more regional U.N. action

TEHRAN, Sept. 9 (UPI) -- Iran supports the work of the United Nations toward safeguarding Iraqi sovereignty but calls for a more active role, the Iranian foreign minister said Tuesday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said, following a meeting in Tehran with U.N. Envoy to Iraq Staffan de Mistura, that Iran remains a steadfast ally of Iraq and supports the U.N. mission there, the Islamic Republic News Agency said.

"We welcome the active role of the U.N. in this respect and hope the body to play a much more active role in restoring Iraq's security as well as sovereignty," the minister said.

Mottaki called on the United Nations, however, to play a more active role in the reconstruction of Iraq, as well as Afghanistan, saying the international body should not be content to remain on the sidelines of any negotiations regarding the countries.

For his part, de Mistura praised the efforts of the Islamic Republic in helping Iraq recover from five years of war, as well as the previous regime.

"We have always backed Iran's role in Iraq, since it spares no effort to support the Iraqi people and government," he said.