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Michael is on Sunday Morning about 20 minutes after the International clip, detailing the significance of the Iranian president's arrival for Domestic viewers. Aneesh Raman also speaks about how Iranian citizens view the trip.
T.J.
HOLMES: Well, a visit to Iraq. A historic visit to
tell you about from Iran's president.
BETTY NGUYEN: We are live in Tehran and Baghdad and
we are going to get a closer look at what this means
for the war in Iraq and the race for the White House.
NGUYEN: And while the presidential candidates here
debate Iraq, the Iranian president is there right
now. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad getting the red carpet
treatment on his historic visit. It is the first by
an Iranian president to Iraq. And CNN's extensive
international services are bringing you the story
from both countries. Michael Ware is in Baghdad and
Aneesh Raman is in Tehran. Let's first start with
Michael. Good morning, Michael.
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Betty.
So, yes, what we saw this morning was earlier this
morning Baghdad time, President Ahmadinejad touched
down at Baghdad International Airport. He stepped
from the plane with a presidential wave. He was then
put into a motorcade after being met by Iraqi
officials and he drove what was once the notorious
Airport Road, once the most dangerous piece of
highway in this country.
He took that ride and went to the residence of the
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani where he held a series
of meetings and made his first public statement. Now
this trip is so symbolically important in so many
ways. Even just driving on the streets and going to
the president's residence -- which is not in a
heavily fortified Green Zone but is out in what
Americans call the Red Zone -- says so much. Let
alone these images we're seeing on TV of him walking
down a red carpet, brass bands playing national
anthems and children giving him flowers. This is a
statement by Iran. They are staking their claim here
in Iraq. America and Iran are vying for influence in
this country. And many people, even in the U.S.
mission, will tell you that right now Iran has the
edge.
Indeed, some of the most is senior American officials
have said to me, "they are the big winners of the
past six years." The fact that he can come here is a
statement of his confidence. Even the Iranian
ambassador just told me last week here in Baghdad,
"so many countries even in this region won't even
send diplomats yet we send our president." That's how
sure they are of themselves and that's how closely
aligned this Iraqi government is to them and that's
how America at least for today is being left on the
sidelines. Betty?
NGUYEN: All right. Michael Ware joining us live,
thank you. It is a statement and let's see how things
are playing out in Tehran where CNN's Aneesh Raman
joins us now. Are people viewing this as indeed the
statement that Michael was talking about?
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In part, Betty. The
people here see this, as Michael mentioned, as
largely symbolic. Keep in mind, the relationship
between Iran and Iraq began anew quite literally from
the moment Saddam Hussein's statue fell some five
years ago.
So why is Ahmadinejad going now? Michael hit the top
reason. To remind the U.S. that it is Iran, not
America, who will have lasting influence over Iraqi
affairs. Analysts here suggest he is going in part to
bolster support for Iraq's Shia prime minister, Nouri
al Maliki, and to refute on the ground the continued
claims by both U.S. and Iraqi officials that Iran
continues to arm Shia militias.
Now, Ahmadinejad's denials on that front will largely
likely fall on deaf ears. But in a broad sense, for a
lot of Iranians, this just symbolizes as well both
the relationship that has now come between Iran and
Iraq, but also the predominance that Iran's President
Ahmadinejad has put on foreign policy since coming to
office.
A lot of Iranians think he has spent far too much
time on foreign issues, on controversial statements
to the world and far too little time on fixing this
country's floundering economy. Hundreds of millions
have been sent abroad. A billion in aid promised to
Iraq. Hundreds of millions to Hezbollah in Lebanon. A
lot of Iranians say bring that home. The one group
Ahmadinejad has really excited about this trip are
the extremely religious Iranians. They want increased
ties with Iraq because it means easier access to
those Shia holy sites within Iraq.
So a mixed bag of sorts among the Iranian people.
Clearly symbolic of how much has changed -- they
fought, of course, an eight-year battle, a bloody one
with Saddam's Iraq -- but again a sign of how much
foreign policy has really underlined Ahmadinejad's
presidency. Betty?
NGUYEN: And there's a lot that we can delve into
here. We're simply out of time. But we do appreciate
both of you joining us live this morning. We'll talk
to you shortly. Thank you.