Media lauds Ahmadinejad Iraq trip

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Ahmadinejad made the first-ever trip by an Iranian president to Iraq.

Many commentators in the Middle East media believe Mahmoud Ahmadinejad scored a diplomatic success with his visit to Iraq, the first-ever by an Iranian president.

Writers in the Iranian press hail the visit as the start of a new era of co-operation between the two states, although one commentator in a reformist paper argues that many issues from the 1980s Iran-Iraq war remain unresolved.

The view that the trip is a turning point for the region also features in the Iraqi media. In the wider Middle East press, several writers suggest the trip was a show of strength for Mr Ahmadinejad, but there are differing views over whether it was a setback for the US.

IRAN'S CONSERVATIVE HAMSHAHRI

Iran and Iraq can form a powerful political and economic front in the region and this is a bitter reality for America and its allies. They have wrongly thought that years of tension between Iran and Iraq would prevent both countries from enjoying close relations.

IRAN'S HARD-LINE QODS

Ahmadinejad's trip to Iraq is a new chapter in Iran-Iraq relations. We hope other countries in the region follow the same path of Islamic co-operation and rally massive Muslim support for the oppressed people of Palestine and Iraq.

IRAN'S CONSERVATIVE JAM-E-JAM

Undoubtedly the Iranian president's visit to Iraq is an important event in the region... American officials did their best to show that Iran's interference in Iraq's domestic affairs is the root cause of insecurities in Iraq... that Ahmadinejad's trip was warmly welcomed by Iraqi officials shows how much success America has had with its plan.

IRAN'S REFORMIST KARGOZARAN

America is trying to use the influence of Iran on Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine in order to solve its own problems in the region. Can Iran ignore the presence of America in its neighbourhood? Or can Iran use America's presence in the region to obtain its own political objectives? Actually, except for Palestine, Iran and America have common interests in many crisis-stricken parts of the world.

IRAN'S REFORMIST E'TEMAD

The trip came at the most inappropriate time... there are still many unsolved problems remaining from the eight-year war between the two countries, no peace treaty has been signed between the two countries and both the countries are still in a cease-fire situation.

SADRIST SPOKESMAN SHAYKH SALAH AL-UBAYDI ON IRAQI TV STATION AL-IRAQIYAH

We do not want to see Iraq bear more than it has already done of the impact of the Iranian-US dispute. Iraq should as far as possible be spared the repercussions of this dispute between the two sides.

CORRESPONDENT SAHAR AL-IBRAHAMI ON AL-IRAQIYAH

Observers following Iraqi affairs have described this visit as a turning point in Iraq's history which would favourably impact the political process. To them, it is a clear indication of the success of Iraq's foreign policy.

ALI KHLAYF IN SUPREME ISLAMIC IRAQI COUNCIL-OWNED AL-ADALAH

Iran has proved to the world and the region it does not suffer historical complexes despite the unjust war waged by the Saddamist regime... This visit comes to confirm the renewed efforts of the Islamic Republic to offer all forms of support to the new Iraq in all fields.

HADI JALU MAR'I IN IRAQ'S INDEPENDENT DAILY AL-MADA

The Americans seem to be calm in dealing with the Iranian president's visit. However, they still insist on talking about Iranian-backed violence, despite being aware of the important Iranian role in establishing security... Both Iran and Iraq should sit together and engage in negotiations, especially since the US presence in the region will not last forever.

MELIHA OKUR IN TURKEY'S CENTRIST SABAH

The papers wrote that the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's two-day visit to Baghdad has turned into a show of strength. The visit demonstrates the dynamism in the region. Above all, it shows that the region's delicate balances might be shaken.

AKIF EMRE IN LIBERAL PRO-ISLAMIC YENI SAFAK

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Baghdad is a diplomatic success that came after broken relations since 1980 and the enmity caused by years of war and millions of casualties.

KAIRY MANSUR IN JORDAN'S INDEPENDENT, PRO-GOVERNMENT AL-DUSTUR

The Iranian president visited Baghdad after he established a foothold for himself there and after what the Iraqis call the destruction of Basra. He is now a stone's throw from the barracks of the US occupation.

YASIR AL-ZA'ATRAH IN JORDAN'S AL-DUSTUR

The context of the visit is favourable to the Americans. The US wanted to affirm to the Arabs that Iran poses a danger to them... Ahmadinejad's visit serves the occupation project by being considered a provocation to the Arab world even if it appeared as if Iran was flexing its muscles in the face of Washington.

<I><A href="http://www.monitor.bbc.co.uk">BBC Monitoring</A> selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad.</I>