Saddam capture seen as aid to ties

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TEHRAN -- The capture of Saddam Hussein has opened the door to closer ties between Iran and Iraq, with unpredictable consequences for both the Middle East and the United States.

Several members of the Iraqi Governing Council have visited Tehran in recent weeks, offering trade deals and even broaching the idea of a shared oil pipeline. Those same Shiite and Kurdish officials are expected to be strengthened by the fall of the Sunni Muslim dictator.

"The Americans view Iran as part of the 'axis of evil, while we view Iran as a strategic partner," said Mowaffak Rubaie, a Shiite member of the council, in an Arabic-language interview with Al Jazeera television last month.

"We want to establish tourist relations, exchange visits and have cultural, economic and security relations to consolidate the situation at the borders. We also want industrial relations, relations to coordinate our foreign policies."

Juan Cole, a University of Michigan history professor and Middle East specialist, said the capture of Saddam "completes the marginalization of the Sunni Arabs."

"Things seem to be firmly in the hands of the Shiites and the Kurds, and both sets of leaders are very pro-Iranian," he said.

"The end result of removing and capturing Saddam may be a rapprochement of Baghdad and Tehran," possibly at the expense of Americas other Arab allies, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan.

The most visible manifestation of the new relationship has been a large-scale return of Iranian pilgrims to Shiite holy sites in the Iraqi cities of Najaf, Karbala, Baghdad and Samarra.

Behind the scenes, the two countries are quietly but quickly restoring political and economic ties that have been severed since Saddams army attacked Iran in 1980.

Iran sent a representative to the Governing Council just days after it was formed last summer, effectively becoming the first Muslim country to recognize the U.S.-backed government.