"We must develop a long-term Iraq rebuilding program to begin basic works in the country. Therefore, the Iraqi government should provide necessary security first," he told a Sunday news conference.
"Iran and Iraq can cooperate in oil, transportation, telecommunications, and other areas, and in housing. The framework of cooperation between Tehran and Baghdad can be broad enough," Assefi said.
"At this point the top priority for us is to provide stability and security in the neighboring state. At the same time, Iran's policies towards Iraq are transparent and based on rendering aid to the Iraqi population without interfering into Iraq's internal affairs," the official spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry added.
Assefi said that the Iranian government intended to file a lawsuit against Saddam Hussein.
"Iran has prepared a lawsuit on Saddam Hussein regime's crimes against the Islamic Republic [of Iran during the war of 1980-1988 between Iran and Iraq]. This document will be submitted to court," he said.
He named "unleashing war" and "usage of chemical weapons against Iranian people" among Saddam's crimes. "Iran has all evidence proving the guilt of the former Iraqi president," Assefi said.
"Saddam Hussein's trial has to be open and transparent to provide for a full investigation into what all his crimes were and why he committed them," Assefi also said.
However, he did not fix the day when the lawsuit and a damage claim would be submitted to court.
"At this point, the term is not the top issue, and just the same, indemnity will be put on the table in proper time," he said.
