Iran Press Service

"We are happy that the election could be held despite the will of violent elements, terrorists and certain countries ignorant of democracy"

According to unconfirmed reports from the elections, the first held more or less democratically, -- if elections organised under occupation can be termed as “free and democratic” -- in this country ever since it had been created decades ago by British colonialists, more than 70 per cent have voted in Shi’a and Kurdish-dominated areas.

In its first reaction, the Iranian government, placed by Washington on the “axis of Evil” and considered as one of the world’s “tyrannical” regimes, on Monday expressed satisfaction with Iraq's landmark election and hoped at the same time that the strong turnout in the ballot by the Shi’a and the Kurds would be the beginning of the withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq.

"We are happy that the election could be held despite the will of violent elements, terrorists and certain countries ignorant of democracy", Mr. Abdollah Ramezanzadeh, the Iranian Government official spokesman told reporters.

"We hope that this election and the strong participation will create conditions for putting an end to the occupation and return security to Iraq”, he added, noting that nature of the future Iraqi regime is to be decided by the Iraqi themselves.

"We do not interfere in Iraq's internal affairs and will accept the Iraqi people's will as it is", he said, adding that Iran was going to "cooperate with the future Iraqi government, regardless of its preferences".

In sharp contrast, some Arab leaders close to the United States like King Abdallah of Jordan openly expressed fears about the possible creation of a “Shi’ate Crescent” covering not only Iran, Iraq, Syria and parts of Lebanon ruled over from Tehran, but also bringing under its control the oil-rich Persian Gulf sheikhdoms.

This fear has been ruled out by Iran, accusing the Jordanian Monarch and acolytes of playing the cards of Israel and world Zionism.

“The result of the Iraqi elections have placed Iran and the United States on the same side, opposing countries like Jordan or extremist groups inside Iraq, dominated by the Sunnis”, one senior Iranian official told the pro-reform “Sharq” newspaper, adding that contrary to what many thinks, Iraq will “not become a theatre of confrontation between Iran and the United States”. ENDS IRAQ ELECTIONS IRAN 2205