Doctor denies Iraqi President in intensive care

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani’s private doctor today said the president had not suffered any heart troubles.

Yedkar Hikmat flatly dismissed media reports that Talabani had a catheter inserted in his heart or had undergone heart surgery at a Jordanian hospital.

Dr Hikmat said rumours about a heart problem were “categorically wrong”.

“This is not true at all, the president’s case doesn’t involve any heart problems. He did not suffer any heart attack. His heart is 100% good,” Hikmat said.

Talabani’s spokesman, Hiwa Othman, speaking from Baghdad, also denied that the Iraqi president had been moved to intensive care.

He said the president remained in a normal hospital room.

“He’s very good. He’s stable,” Othman said.