Iraq’s election a victory for Iran, says Rafsanjani

[phk]

Iraq’s election a victory for Iran, says Rafsanjani
By Najmeh Bozorgmehr in Tehran
Published: December 16 2005 18:22 | Last updated: December 16 2005 18:22

Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Iran’s influential former president, on Friday called Iraq’s parliamentary elections a “victory” for Iran and said the vote had shattered any US expansionist ambitions in the Middle East.
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He also criticised Washington for refusing to give Tehran a role in its Iraq policy.

“The election was a victory won by the Iraqi nation, which we share with them, because we paid a price for its preparation - since the Iran-Iraq war [1980-1988] and the Ba’athist regime,” Mr Rafsanjani told Friday worshippers at Tehran University campus. “Although Iraq has still a difficult future ahead, the trend is on the right track.”

The US accuses Iran of misusing its influence and fuelling the insurgency to destabilise Iraq. Iran denies such charges and argues that stability in Iraq is in line with its national interests.

Mr Rafsanjani is known as a pragmatic conservative who favours strategic co-operation with the US in the region. “It could be to the US’s benefit not to ignore Iran’s role; instead, they were hostile wherever they could be,” Mr Rafsanjani said.

[afleitch]

Iran has no role to play in Iraq. It has no role to play in any neighbouring state because unlike the USA, Iran would never leave Iraq alone if you let it get involved today.

[Jake]

His comments you quoted show it as a victory by Iraq over the Baathists, and through that victory, a victory for Iran from their opposition to Saddam. He is merely stating that Iran likes that Saddam is gone because he was their enemy.