Good for Iran!
I hope the United States takes notice that Iran is indeed a major player in the Middle East and gives Iran it's due respect!
Maybe then we will be able to establish a dialog that leads to a lasting peace!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060720/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_hezbollah_s_patron
TEHRAN, Iran - Iranian officials often say that places with the greatest troubles offer their country the best opportunities.
Iranian influence in Iraq has surged since the U.S.-led invasion three years ago. Its reach into Afghanistan continues to grow.
And now, the war in Lebanon could make Iran an even more important player in the Islamic world even as its militant Shiite Arab client, Hezbollah, gets pounded by Israel.
"Iran sees itself more than just the moral father of Hezbollah. Iran seeks to become a major force across the region as a counterbalance to America and Israel," said Ahmad Bakhshaiesh, a professor of political studies at Tehran's Azadi University.
"Lebanon is part of this plan," he said.
Already, officials and experts say that for any cease-fire or broader peace package to succeed, Iran's deep ties with Hezbollah must be taken into account.
Hezbollah could emerge from the battles severely weakened militarily, but with its reputation enhanced in the Muslim world for resisting Israel. That in turn would give Iran, a non-Arab country, an even higher profile in the Arab world — a prospect that frightens the Jewish state...
