What’s the Arab Take on the Iranian Re-Election of Ahmadinejad?

Experts in Egypt say a reformer in Iran may not have worked out for better relations between Arabs and Iranians given the disputes and the lack of the two parties to solve those disputes. Ambassador Sayed Kasem Al-Masry, former assistant Foreign Minister and Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, said Ahmadinejad's statements don’t serve Arab issues well and serve more those who are the enemies of Arab and Islam. Key in this, they say, is Israel. Al-Masry maintains Israel likes Ahmadinejad's victory because it serves Israel’s interests and provides a platform for striking Iran. It also helps establish in the minds of some that there is a common Arab – Israeli bond hostile to Iran. But the problem, however, is Ahmadinejad’s victory makes it difficult for Barack Obama to create reasonable dialogue with Iran. Al-Masry had hoped for the election of a moderate and reformer as he believes that would have been in the Middle East. He goes on to say,

"The enemy is Israel, as its interests clash with ours and its existence is incompatible with the Arabs" he pointed out, while the dispute with Iran is about points of view, political systems and ideologies.

For his part, Ambassador Mahmoud Farag, former chargé d'affaires at the Egyptian Embassy in Tehran, said the election of Ahmadinejad isn’t good for Arab-Iranian relations. He further maintains he would focus on better relations with the United States and the West even as that part of the world seeks rapprochement with Iran. News from Jordan echoes Egypt concerns. Jordanian online papers reported Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's disputed election win “frustrated reform-minded Iranians and dismayed outsiders who had hoped Iran might "unclench its fist" under a new leader and engage with US President Barack Obama. " They also agreed Ahmadinejad’s angry and divisive rhetoric would be advantageous for Israel as a weapon in convincing the world Iran is up to no good with its nuclear ambitions. Jordan news report Iranians who voted for moderate candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi felt betrayed when the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei initially endorsed the election results, telling Iranians to avoid challenging them and to rally behind the re-elected Ahmadinejad, even as he called the election “free and healthy.” Still the report from Lebanon wonders if what is going on in Iran is another "Tiananmen Square" situation, given the televised images of security officers racing on motorcycles clubbing protesters. The anti-Ahmadinejad camp was "taken by surprise and is scrambling for a plan", according to Trita Parsi, director of the Washington-based National Iranian American Council, the Jordanian paper quotes Parsi, "Increasingly, given their failure to get Khamenei to intervene, their only option seems to be to directly challenge - or threaten to challenge - the supreme leader.” Arab World News, linked by Libyan news sites, has a front page online story about the Ayatollah ordering an investigation today into the allegations made of election fraud in Iran. This is a turnaround from earlier statements and gives hope to opposition forces, according to this Arab news site. Reports are Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has directed a high-level clerical panel to investigate allegations of fraud and charges that Mir. Hossein Mousavi is the rightful winner. Arab news sources are diverse on the subject of Iran but agree that the divisive nature of the election results and the outcome will affect Arab – Israeli relations as well as relations between Iran and the United States and likely impact how the rest of the world deals with Iran’s potential for nuclear weapons.