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Copyright 2004 Federal Information and News Dispatch, Inc.
Voice of America News
< prey Document 6 of 14 n~ >
April 19, 2004
SECTION: RADIO SCRIPTS - BACKGROUND REPORT 5-55191L
LENGTH: 625 words
HEADLINE: IRAN I IRAQ
BYLINE: GARY THOMAS
TEXT: WASHINGTON
INTRO: An attempt by Iran to mediate an end to the fight in neighboring Iraq between the forces of a
radical Muslim cleric and U-S troops was not successful. But, as correspondent Gary Thomas reports, the
effort underscores Iran's bid to wield some clout In postwar Iraq.
To Iran, the United States Is still, officially speaking, the Great Satan. And from the U-S perspective,
Iran Is one of the two remaining members of what President Bush famously termed an axis of evil. But
Iran sent a delegation to Iraq to try mediate an end to the standoff between radical Shl'lte Muslim cleric
Moqtada al-Sadr and the U-S occupation authority - and the United States made no move to stop the
effort.
An Iranian diplomat was gunned down In Baghdad during the visit and the mediation subsequently broke
down. Nevertheless, say analysts, the Iranian effort In Iraq was symptomatic of a broader political
struggle In Iran for influence, power, and International legitimacy.
Just how. much clout Iran has In Iraq - and just who In Iran wields it - Is murky.
Juan Cole, a professor of Middle East and South Asian history at the University of Michigan, says the
Iranian mission to Iraq is part of an effort by, President Mohammad Ali Khatami and his fellow reformists
to regain some Influence they had lost'to the hardliners. President Khatami has pointedly distanced
himself from Mr. al-Sadr.
[COLE ACT]
That faction has been under enormous pressure inside Iran. Of course, it was sidelined in the recent
elections by the hardliners. And so reaching out and playing this kind of positive role in the region may
be one way for the reformiSts to break back out of their isolation.
[END ACT]
But Michael Rubin, who was until last month a political advisor to the Coalition Provisional Authority in
Baghdad, says the Iranian role in Iraq was anything but positive. He says Iran is meddling and trying to
set up Its own cells in Iraq.
[RUBIN ACT]
~ ~hlnk having Iranian Involvement In Iraq is like having the arsonist volunteering to put out the fire.
https:llw3.1exis.comJlawenfsolutions_secured/~earc.hfo~s/doBrowse.asp?SearchInfoID=~.. 11116/2004