Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad boldly declared Tuesday that U.S. political influence in Iraq is
"collapsing rapidly" and said his government is ready to help fill any power
vacuum.
"They rudely say (the Iraqi) prime minister and the constitution must
change," Ahmadinejad said of U.S. critics. "Who are you? Who has given you
the right" to ask for such a change, he added.
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Reporters Without Bordershas expressed concern about the
death sentences issued against the two Kurdish journalists, and described
the rulings as "outrageous and shameful." The group has called for
international pressure against Iran to reverse the ruling.
Media rights groups say Hassanpur has writen articles on local politics,
while Butimar was a member of an environmental group. More..
Barzani accused unidentified countries of trying to delay a resolution of
the Kirkuk issue and urged the Baghdad government not to succumb to regional
pressures. It was clear he was referring to Turkey, where separatist Kurdish
guerrillas are fighting Turkish government forces in the southeast of the
country (Northern Kurdistan). Al-Maliki is due to visit Turkey in early
August.
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