Oh No, You Can’t Use Iraq To Attack Iran
He was speaking after meeting Iran’s foreign minister and is later due to meet President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The role of the US in Iraq is high on the agenda, with Tehran concerned about a treaty under discussion on the terms of the US military’s future in Iraq.
Iran’s alleged backing for militants in Iraq is also likely to be discussed.
“We will not allow Iraq to become a platform for harming the security of Iran and neighbours,” Iranian state-run media quoted Mr Maliki as saying after late-night talks with Manouchehr Mottaki.
Militias evidence
The BBC’s John Leyne, in Tehran, says Iran has made no secret of its opposition to the current negotiations going on between Iraq and the US, which are aimed at regulating the presence of US forces in the country after their UN mandate expires at the end of 2008.
The US-Iraqi talks, which are seeking to reach agreement by the end of July, have run into problems over issues related to Iraqi sovereignty.
The Iraqi prime minister also is expected to raise allegations of Iranian support for Shia militants in Iraq.
Shia militiamen fought bitter battles with US and Iraqi government forces between March and May.
Mr Maliki is on his third visit to Iran since taking office in June 2005.
Mofaz criticised over Iran threat
A key defence official has accused one of Israel’s deputy prime ministers of threatening to attack Iran in order to boost his own political standing.
On Friday Shaul Mofaz said military strikes to stop Iran developing nuclear weapons looked “unavoidable”.
Deputy Defence Minister Matan Vilnai said Mr Mofaz was using the issue to position himself to challenge Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s leadership.
Mr Mofaz’s comments were partly blamed for a record oil price surge.
Analysis: Growing talk of Iran attack
The BBC’s Middle East Editor, Jeremy Bowen, looks at increasing speculation that Iran may come under attack because of its nuclear programme.
Last December American intelligence agencies said they had “high confidence” that in late 2003 Iran had stopped trying to build nuclear weapons.
That seemed to end much of the talk about an American - or Israeli - attempt to destroy the facilities that Iran has developed for what it insists is a purely peaceful nuclear programme.
Plenty of influential people in the Middle East, Europe and the United States think an attack on Iran would have consequences potentially as disastrous as the invasion of Iraq in 2003. It would also send oil prices, already through the roof, into orbit.
But the talk has started again. Negotiations with Iran - and sanctions against it - have not stopped it enriching uranium, which its critics say is being done to make a bomb.
Timeline: US-Iran ties A chronology of key events from 1953:
1953 US and British intelligence services engineer a coup in which Iranian military officers depose Prime Minister Muhammad Mussadeq, a leading exponent of nationalising the oil industry.
1979 16 January - US-backed Shah of Iran forced to leave the country after widespread demonstrations and strikes. [See Chronology Here]
The best way to trump President Bush plans for Iran, is to tell him, up front, this is not an option. The most obvious formula appears to be for Olmert to make the first move. Israel will arrange some kind of pre-emptive incursion or strike. Then Iran will retaliate. Then the US will be called on to support and defend it’s favorite ally.
This is the most obvious strategy for two lame duck war mongers intent on starting Armageddon …
