Iranian Foreign Minister Meets With Iraq's Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani

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http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/international/ticker/detail/Iran_minister_thanks_Iraqi_cleric_for_unity_efforts.html?siteSect=143&sid=6755091&cKey=1148723640000

Iran minister thanks Iraqi cleric for unity efforts

NAJAF, Iraq (Reuters) - Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki met leading Iraqi cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani on Saturday in one of Iraq's holiest cities and thanked him for promoting unity between Iraq's groups.

The meeting with Sistani, who has emerged as perhaps the most powerful man in Iraq after Saddam Hussein's downfall, in the Shi'ite holy city of Najaf was likely to fuel Sunni Arab fears that Shi'ite Iran was trying to gain influence in Iraq.

Mottaki, who had talks with Iraq's new, Shi'ite-led government in Baghdad on Friday, also visited another Shi'ite shrine city, Kerbala.

[cliss]

1. THIS ought to make them sweat in Washington.

There is nothing that drives more fear into their hearts than hearing this. Ever since Iraq started having elections, they have moved closer to Iran. The US has tried to stop this, but there's nothing they can do.

The Iraqis have already chosen, and they're looking east to Iran. This development can only drive them into panic mode, because it has turned Iran into a regional super-power.

Check mate, George.