Wow, a lot of people are simply not paying attention. Iran domination of Iraq is not good for Iraqis- remember that a large number ar Sunni "heretics" as well as Christians, Coptics, Kurds etc. Iran has been de-stabilizing Iraq all along. You think the home grown Iraqis are behind shooting their OWN local police for the past few years? The US has 140k troops in a country the size of California. Dominating? Ridiculous. The US has been trying to keep Iraq from being swallowed up by crazies Saddam was ousted. Note the overwhelming majority of attacks on Iraqis attempting to get their country back- police, politicians, soldiers. If Iraq were stable enough to stand on its own- Iran loses its prize, terrorists lose propaganda material, etc etc.

Fred, Boston, USA

Joe,
Re-read history. Remember WW1, serbs kill Archduke in Hungary, the world is embroiled in war, then allies take land from hungary eventually setting up the caucuses for the first take over of the region by islam. Islam fought for thousands of years and Hungary repelled them. Fast-forward to today, Bush removes impediment to consolidation of power in the islam world, what do you think is going to happen? You got it. Islam will consolidate power. The power WILL extend over all of Asia minor, and we will have an eventual blood bath. The current fight only exists to set the stage for the winepress.

JD, Redding,

The mullahs of Iran should have by now been out of power but for EU nations and Russia secretly trading with them and the ineptitude of US politicians groveling at the feet of dictators who love their golden toilets. The so-called and UN recognized countries of the Middle East are not true nation states with binding common ethics. As such their rulers will always be suspicious of one another, change allegians, war and be power whores. Good ole shorty from the IRI is just such a power whore and a fly in the ointment that western leaders have no clue what to do with. Why the media reports the billion dollar grant as news only allows "Shorty the Fly" to keep prancing on the world stage.

KOJINATOR, provo, USA

Iraq is a very complicated entity in itself. One thing I know and I don't care what any of you say is that the US needs to get the EU to wake up and support the US in its endeavors in Iraq. Like it or not Iran is a threat to all of EU as is Syria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and most of all the Arab countries that believe in fundamentalism.
Unless we are looking for a Muslim controlled universe then things must change in Iraq for the best (democratized). Americans didn't shed blood in Iraq so that Iran could come in with another religious fanatical group of thugs to dominate women and children. I say fight on.

Joe, Providence, RI

"The Gulf States and Saudi Arabia must be thrilled at this new alliance." -- leila, manchester, uk

They would rather choose the lesser of the two evils.

jayil, london, uk

Well Charles from Chestefield, if you think Ahmadinejad is a good neighbour, just ask the British troops who have been trying to maintain order in Iraq against Iranian backed terrorists. As usual, our government is pretty poor when it comes to speaking out against these activities, even when the weapons are quite clearly "made in Iran".

Oh, and of course, you'll be forgetting their nuclear programme and the kidnapping of both British and American troops for propaganda purposes.

Raymond has made the most valid point though, that these nations are still factional and not really mature enough for democracy.

John, Huntingdon,

Richard Beeston, this is just silly.

Iranian "domination"?

When the U.S. has 140,000 troops and airbases there and has killed hundreds of thousands and destroyed a vibrant society?

Clearly when Iraq breaks up after America's gigantic violent strategic blunder, the Shia area will be closely allied with Iran.

But then anyone who knew anything could have told you that five years ago, as they did try to tell the hopeless Bush.

John Chuckman, toronto, Canada

Is Iran giving its highest national award to GWB for services rendered?

Kara Swart, London, UK

Is it so surprising? In the face of so much misery the Iraqis have ezperienced, a hand of friendship is surely hope! The West should remember Iran has been a unitary nation and culture for centuries while the Arabs have inherited states arbitrarily created during the Imperial age. Iran has a sense of history. It is playing the right game now.

K.K. Lim, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

And I blame antiamericanism and this world wide stockholmssyndrome after 9/11for forcing America and Britain to serve Iraq to Iran on a silver platter. It is a grand day for Islamic Fundamentalism, indeed. And the beginning of the end of the world as we know it.

Albert , Vaxjo, Sweden

This is positive development. Iranians and Iraqi's have the common bond of being Shia. The problem is that if Iran comes to dominate Iraq they will be able to supply Hezbollah at will. Convoys will drive across the desert and possibly troops. Ahmadinejad may spark a major regional war. It is time to stop both Syria and Iran in their tracks.

Matthew Lees, Milton Keynes, UK

western arrogance, why is it ok for the US to dominate Iraq, but not Iran?

The US is the one who has committed all the war crimes not Iran.

akram, london,

Raymond Karam has hit the nail upon the head. Just because all is peace and light now, the historical antipathy between Persians and Arabs and the more recent history between the two nations, will not allow this state of affairs to last for to long. Muslim on Muslim viloence (including Shia upon Shia) is as common as Christian upon Christian.
As Raymond says:
"They are not yet politically mature to exist in peace, unfortunately as is the whole region".
This is all the more true if Iran hopes to take control of the oilfields. Sparks will fly.

Bill Q, Derby,

Iranian domination of Iraq once the Americans were kind enough to remove Saddam for them is not surprising -- almost predictable given the history of the area back to early Ottoman times and beyond. The total lack of American understanding in this matter is sad but unfortunately not surprising.

Peter, Bangkok, Thailand

Thank you America and Britain for handing Iraq to Iran on a silver platter. It is a grand day for Islamic Fundamentalism. Is this better than having Saddam taking charge in Iraq?

S K Lin, Hong Kong, China

Good for Ahmadinejad. See what progress is made when you speak before you bomb and pillage? Respecting our neighbors is proven to be more successful than bombing and binding them with contracts and installing pseudodemocratic governments that serve foreign interests.

He may look "smug" to you, but to the Iraqi's he looks like someone willing to help heal all that's been bombarded by neoconservative in the US and Europe.

Charles Billeford, Chesterfield,

Dear Timesonline,
The Arabs fought Bilad Faris before Islam and during the peak of Islam. I hope that peace will come to those countries once and for all. Yet history in that region as touched upon in the above article is run by one country wanting to dominate the other or the whole region in the name of Islam or Arab nationalism.
Before Islam Arabs and Iran were fighting. During Al Footooh (islamisation) wars they were fighting the non moslems in Faris and, I am afraid, they will carry on fighting even if they are both Shiites. They are not yet politically mature to exist in peace, unfortunately as is the whole region.

Raymond Karam, Didcot, United Kingdom

Isn't it clear that diplomact works better than arms occupation? May be USA can learn from other nations.

Gurmit, India, India

The Gulf States and Saudi Arabia must be thrilled at this new alliance.

leila , manchester, uk