BAGHDAD — Iraq has pledged to crack down on the Iranian opposition as part of its security cooperation with Teheran.

Officials said the Baghdad government planned to eliminate the presence of the Mujahadeen Khalq, the leading Iranian opposition group. More than 4,000 Mujahadeen members have been housed in military camps in eastern Iraq since the toppling of the Saddam Hussein regime in 2003, Middle East Newsline reported.

"We will no longer permit the members of that terror organization to create problems for Iraq´s good neighbor, Iran, from Iraqi soil and we are quite determined to confront them effectively," Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Chalabi said. Chalabi has held talks in Teheran in an attempt to forge closer ties between Iran and Iraq in the political and security realms. He said Iraq would implement a new anti-terrorism law that would end the activities of the Mujahadeen.

"In accordance with Iraq´s Anti-Terrorism Law, no armed group or organization which is in the list of world terrorist organizations, including the MKO, can remain armed in Iraq as of the date the law takes effect," Chalabi said.

The law was expected to take effect in mid-November. So far, the United States has refused to deport the thousands of Mujahadeen members to Iran, where they face prosecution.

Chalabi´s assurances come in wake of numerous demands by Teheran for the extradition of Mujahadeen fighters. Iran has blamed the Mujahadeen for numerous bombings and other attacks in Iranian cities.

Teheran has also accused the U.S.-led coalition of encouraging Arab and Kurdish unrest in western Iran. Iran said British Army units helped train insurgents in the Arab revolt in the southeast province of Khuzestan in 2005.

"Iraq would no longer be a ground for launching attacks against any of its neighbors," Chalabi said. (Copyright © 2005 East West Services, Inc. 11/10/05)