There is a satisfactory level of cooperation in the field of oil between the neighboring Muslim countries of Iran and Iraq, both of which enjoy rich petroleum reserves, Shahristani added.

“Iranians are interested in importing Iraqi petroleum for the Abadan petroleum refinery, and they have also asked us to supply the Kermanshah refinery,” he noted.

“Importing (Iranian) oil products is another important issue in the two countries’ relations. Iraq is currently importing oil products, and some Iranian corporations have inked oil products sales agreements with us,” the Iraqi oil minister said, adding that this would continue until Iraq builds new refineries and becomes self-sufficient. In answer to a question regarding the U.S. reaction to the increasing Iran-Iraq cooperation, he stated, “So far, no one has contacted me to ask me to explain our relations with Iran or any other country, and even if someone tries to do so, as a sovereign state, we do not feel compelled to explain our relations with other countries to a third party.”

Shahristani rejected the claims of a leaked draft of a U.S. Congressional report that said Iraqi oil is currently being smuggled as false and said that the highest level of oil smuggling in recent times occurred during the 2003-2004 period when the United States was controlling Iraq’s oil transactions.