[NYTr] Ahmadinejad Now a Hero in SUNNI Arab World; Iran Closes Kurdistan Border

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Informed Comment - Sep 25, 2007
http://www.juancole.com/2007/09/huge-bombing-in-baquba-iranians-close.html

Huge Bombing in Baquba;
Iranians close border with Iraqi Kurdistan

by Juan Cole

Iran has closed its border with Iraqi Kurdistan. This move appears to
come in part in reaction to the US kidnapping of an Iranian commercial
agent, on the grounds that he is a covert operative, from Sulaimaniya
(a city in Iraqi Kurdistan). In addition, Kurdish guerrillas of the
PEJAK organization have been taking refuge in Iraqi Kurdistan and
carrying out terrorist attacks inside Iran, in response to which Iran
has shelled Kurdish border villages.

The closure of the border will hurt Kurdistan, which is landlocked and
already has bad relations with Turkey and Syria, its other windows on
the world.

McClatchy also reports on the Kurds that Iran is seeking.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/iraq/story/19899.html

The LA Times reports on Iranian President Ahmadinejad's popularity in
the Arab world, which is mostly Sunni. They take him as a symbol of
anti-imperialism.