By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr. and AHMAD FADAM
Published: March 3, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/world/middleeast/03iraq.html?ref=world BAGHDAD
— President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, arriving in Baghdad to open what he declared a "new chapter" in relations between Iraqand Iran, warned President Bush on Sunday that America's problems in the Middle East would worsen as long as he continued to accuse Iran of interfering in Iraq.
The visit, the first by an Iranian leader since the brutal Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, set off protests in Sunni Arab areas that seemed to underscore how growing Iranian influence could thwart hopes of mending the Iraqi government's sour relationship with Sunnis inside its own borders. Many of Iraq's Shiite leaders have ties to Iran.
"Today, by the grace of God, our two countries' leaders have agreed to cement their brotherly relations," Mr. Ahmadinejad said after meeting with the Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani. The Iranian leader plans to stay for two days and strike deals on energy and other investment projects.
Mr. Talabani, a Kurd, said that "economic, oil, political and security issues" are all on the table. He also reiterated previous vows by Iraqi officials to eliminate the Mujahedeen Khalq, a group of anti-Iranian guerrillas, some of whose members have taken shelter at an American-guarded compound in eastern Iraq.
Mr. Ahmadinejad later called for Iraq, Iran and Turkey to cooperate to drive Kurdish guerrillas from the Iraqi border areas they use to stage attacks into both countries. American officials say the guerrillas of the Kurdistan Workers Party, who attack Turkey, a NATO ally, are terrorists. But they do not condemn a closely linked group, the Party for Free Life in Kurdistan, which carries out deadly raids into Iran.
The visit made plain the determination of Iraqi leaders to move closer to Tehran despite American accusations that Iran supports militias in Iraq. Mr. Ahmadinejad received hugs from several dignitaries who greeted him, including Vice President Adel Abdul Mahdi, a Shiite.
