Editing Tariq Aziz (section)

=== Weapons of mass destruction ===
{{main|Iraq and weapons of mass destruction}}
In September 2002, [[Kofi Annan]] met Saddam Hussein and Aziz.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=2002-09-03 |title=Annan and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister discuss return of UN weapons inspectors {{!}} UN News |url=https://news.un.org/en/story/2002/09/44192 |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=news.un.org |language=en}}</ref> Aziz told that Iraq is ready to work with UN. He said: "As I told the [UN] secretary general, if anybody can have a magic solution, so that all these issues are being dealt with together, equitably and reasonably, we are ready to find such a solution and we are ready to cooperate with the United Nations,". Shortly after the invasion of Iraq, [[George W. Bush|President George W. Bush]] claimed Aziz as one of the Iraqi regime who was responsible for hiding [[Iraq and weapons of mass destruction#2003 Iraq War|Iraqi WMD]]:<ref name="usatoday_Bush">{{cite news |date=3 May 2003 |title=Bush: Aziz 'still doesn't know how to tell the truth' |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/iraq/2003-05-03-bush_x.htm |access-date=24 April 2008 |work=[[USA Today]] |quote=President Bush expressed unshakable confidence Saturday about finding banned weapons in Iraq and complained that Tariq Aziz, one of Saddam Hussein's closest deputies, is not cooperating with U.S. forces who have him in custody.Bush said the deputy prime minister, the most visible face of the former Iraqi government other than Saddam, "still doesn't know how to tell the truth." |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>
{{blockquote|President Bush expressed unshakable confidence Saturday about finding banned weapons in Iraq and complained that Tariq Aziz, one of Saddam Hussein's closest deputies, is not cooperating with U.S. forces who have him in custody. Bush said the deputy prime minister, the most visible face of the former Iraqi government other than Hussein, 'still doesn't know how to tell the truth.'|''[[USA Today]]'', 3 May 2003}}