Iran gives thumbs up to 30th Jan Iraq elections in this item from an official news source. Does that mean that "evil" Iran supports the "US construct" ; the new emerging Iraq? It certainly appears so from this piece. The least that can be said is that there is more than tacit Iranian support for the democratisation process in Iraq.
TEHRAN, Dec. 29--Majlis Speaker Gholamali Haddad-Adel on Tuesday said a free, independent and prosperous Iraq would not only be in the interest of the Iraqi nation, but also of all regional states.
During a meeting with Iraq's Ambassador to Iran Mohammed Majid Al-Sheikh, Haddad-Adel noted that holding elections in Iraq as scheduled would give the people the power to handle their own affairs and work for an independent, peaceful and stable country, IRNA reported.
Referring to the current situation in Iraq as "dangerous and very sensitive," he called on the Iraqi nation and officials to help prepare the ground for a bright future by utilizing all resources to ensure the people's massive participation in the upcoming elections.
Pointing to the historical, religious, cultural and geographical commonalities between Tehran and Baghdad, the speaker said notwithstanding the suffering caused to the Iranian people by Saddam Hussein's 1980-88 war imposed on Iran, the two nations are capable of forgetting the past and looking to the future without any grudge. "The common enemies of Iran and Iraq are those who circulate stories of Iranian interference in Iraqi affairs when they know that their accusations are baseless. In reality, they are opposing the establishment of democracy in Iraq and trying to hide their real intentions," he said.
Haddad-Adel voiced Iran's readiness to set up voting centers in the country to allow Iraqi expatriates here to participate in the elections under the supervision of the Iraqi government.
The Iraqi ambassador, for his part, expressed satisfaction over his mission in Iran and appreciated Iran's Iraq stance, its acceptance of Iraqi refugees as well as measures to restore stability and peace to the war-torn country.
He also expressed hope that Iraq's political, economic and parliamentary relations with Iran would strengthen after the elections and consolidation of people's rule. Al-Sheikh pointed out that despite certain differences, the Iraqi government is determined to boost relations with neighboring states, Iran in particular.
