President Khatami said that the organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Arab League should undertake effective role in thwarting the threats to which the Islamic nations are currently exposed.

The president said that the two international organizations should lobby for putting aside the minor differences among the Muslim nations and mobilize their efforts to deal with common threats.

He referred to Iran's detente policy and called for cooperation of the regional states in different fields.

President Khatami said that the Islamic states should foster democracy in line with their moral values to prevent the model of western democracy from being imposed on them.

The Iranian president said that the extremist and reactionary tendencies have posed a new threat to the Muslim world.

He recalled opposition of the Arab League and the international community to the US-led war on Iraq and said that opposition to the war was directed at the danger of lawlessness in the world and not a support for Saddam's regime.

President Khatami appreciated the Arab League's support for Palestine and said that Sharon will resist any peace plan for Palestine.

Amr Mousa said that the Arab League is keen on developing solidarity among the Islamic nations.

Mousa said that Iran has pivotal role in regional developments adding that the Muslim states should not leave one another alone in facing threats.

He said that the Arab League stood against US-led war on Iraq to avoid the humanitarian losses caused by the devastating war.

Kharrazi stressed formation of a popular government in Iraq

Iran Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi stressed in Tehran on Wednesday the need for the formation of a popular and democratic government in the post-war Iraq, IRNA reported.

Talking to reporters after the third meeting of Iraq's neighboring states which was held on the sidelines of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Kharrazi said the domination of the US and British forces over Iraq is temporary.

He said the US and British forces would do better to leave the control of Iraq to the Iraqis and quit the war-ruined country.

He said the cooperation of the neighboring states of Iraq would guarantee the formation of a popular government in Iraq.

Those who say there is no need for consultations with Iraqi's neighbors are making a great mistake, he said adding that the holding of the third meeting of Iran's neighbors discussing Iraq reveals the very fact that these states are not indifferent toward the Iraqi issues.

Commenting on his negotiations with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmad Maher on the sidelines of the OIC meeting, he said the sides discussed the ways of improving relations.

Kharrazi added the Iran-Egypt bilateral ties are following an upward trend.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher in a meeting with his Iranian counterpart Kamal Kharrazi here on the sidelines of the OIC ministerial meeting on Wednesday expressed pleasure with his Iran visit.

On the regional security, Maher called for further coordination among countries to guarantee regional security.

In the meeting, the sides stressed cleansing the Middle East from any weapons of mass destruction.

Kharrazi then touched on the Iranian stand toward Al-Qaeda and the terrorist network members and said the arrest of Al-Qaeda operatives is not a new thing.

He said the Iranian officers arrest, imprison and then extradite the Al-Qaeda members to their countries of origin.

As for Iran's nuclear program, he said Iran is attempting to find access to the nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

He said Iran is to use the nuclear energy while keeping in line with the international conventions on the nuke activities.

Tehran is increasingly under pressure by Washington which accuses it of seeking access to atomic weaponry.

Washington suspects Tehran's nuclear ambitions, arguing that Iran's costly pursuit of a complete nuclear fuel cycle only makes sense if it's in support of a nuclear weapons program.

Iran rejects these allegations, saying that it wants the program as part of the country's bid to generate 7,000 megawatts of electricity to cope with the rising energy demand in the 65-million-nation in the next 20 years, while its gas and oil reserves are becoming overstretched.