Iranian consular in Najaf, Bank Melli Iran to remain in Iraq

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The Iraqi council of ministers on Tuesday agreed that Iran can open a consular office in Najaf, and the Bank Melli Iran can continue working in Iraq, despite the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) warning against dealing with the bank. “The council approved the recommendation of the Iraqi Foreign Ministry to open an Iranian consular office in Najaf,” Ali al-Dabbagh, the Iraqi government’s official spokesperson, said in a release received by IraqiNews.com news agency. “The council also approved the Bank Melli Iran’s continued work in Iraq,” he added. The UNSC resolution 1803 on March 3, 2008, listed Bank Melli Iran among the financial institutions that should be monitored, as it could be a cover for the Iranian nuclear activities and attempts to acquire weapons of mass destruction (WMD). MH (P)/SR 1