Bridging a gap

I have come to ask forgiveness for what Saddam has done

Sadoun al-Dulaimi, Iraq Defence Minister to Ali Shamkhani, Iran Defence Minister, 7 July 2005

Under its American-made blanket, Iraq is slowly strengthening ties with one-time rival Iran. On 8 July, an agreement was reached between Iran and Iraq whereby the former would provide training and upgrading of the Iraqi military and $1 billion in post-war reconstruction.

This morning, Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari began an important visit to Iran, this time to discuss greater economic and infrastructure ties between the two countries. This includes linking the two countries’ electricity grid and constructing a new oil pipeline.

The integration of Iran and Iraq politically and militarily is still at an embryonic stage. And the two countries are still beholden to the usual contradictions. For instance, Iran is openly called a terrorist state, and, more recently, an outpost of evil, by the Iraqi Government’s major ally, the United States.

The reality is that the territorial limits of most nation-states do not correspond to the social and ethnic similarities that bond people within their boundaries. Most Iraqis are Shia, as are most Iranians. That they have been divided for so long is a quirk of British imperial designs. The political machinations within the two countries have developed around this initial separation.

Could the two nations be taking the first steps towards uniting one people? It’s too early to say. But it’s already obvious that natural domestic alliances are going to pose a significant threat to the United States’ long-term domination of the region.