[DEBATE] : (Fwd) Baghdad-Tehran axis of ?

[Patrick Bond]

Juan Cole's Informed Comment website
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Maliki in Tehran for Oil Deal
60 Bodies found; 24 Dead in Bombings
(Cole's website includes an excellent photo of Maliki and Ahmadenijad

 
Courtesy of Mehr.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and Iranian President Mahmud
Ahmadinejad had something of a lovefest at their press conference on
Tuesday. Ahmadinejad expressed his complete support for the Iraqi
parliament, political process and government. The Iranians always sound
just like the Bush administration when they talk about political
progress in Iraq. Ahmadinejad also offered help with security affairs.

Al-Maliki declined to associate himself with American charges that Iran
is fomenting turmoil in Iraq, saying that there were no obstacles to
security cooperation between the two countries.

Iran and Iraq will cooperate in pumping petroleum from oil fields
traversed by their common border, and in its refining. One such project
could be online within a year. These fields are far from the Sunni Arab
areas, and Iran would help with security, so that they could help the
government escape the economic blockade the guerrilla movement has
placed on the northern Kirkuk fields, which generally cannot export
through Turkey because of pipeline sabotage.