Iran warned off 'meddling' in Iraq

Bremer admitted he still had a tough task ahead of him

The US administrator in Iraq, Paul Bremer, has accused neighbouring Iran of actively attempting to subvert the coalition mission in the country.

Mr Bremer said he did not welcome "interference" from Iran while US-led forces in Iraq were engaged in the "process of reconstruction and democratisation."

"The message is very clear: the Iranians know they're doing it and they know we're unhappy about it and they ought to stop it," he said.

Iran has been critical of the delay in government being put back into the hands of Iraqis, but Mr Bremer said elements of the proposed interim administration, with appointed Iraqi officials, could be in place in the next few weeks.

The former US State department official, reporting on progress made in his first month of office, also acknowledged that US forces still faced hostility in some parts of the country, and said that they would continue to use force to deal with such threats.

Uncertainty

Mr Bremer said that the first priority in Iraq was to create jobs and stimulate Iraq's crippled economy, which meant attracting foreign investment.

However he admitted this was no easy task while coalition forces were still engaging with hostile forces and sustaining casualties.

On Tuesday, three Iraqis were killed following an explosion at an ammunitions depot in the city of Diwaniya, south of Baghdad - however it is not clear whether the explosion was an accident or a hostile act.

Mr Bremer also said that the continuing uncertainty over the whereabouts of ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein could encourage members of his dissolved Baath party to resurface.

"It gives people a reason not to support the coalition, not because they don't want to support us, but because they are afraid," he said.

However he added that this would not be permitted to happen, saying the search for Saddam Hussein - and his alleged weapons of mass destruction - would continue.