Rafsanjani offers assistance to Iraq

BAGHDAD, March 3 (UPI) -- Iran is ready to assist Iraq on a variety of measures in hopes of stabilizing the security situation in the country, the former Iranian president said.

Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Tuesday to discuss bilateral relations between the two neighboring countries.

Rafsanjani offered praise to the Iraqi nation for its ability to remain a unified country, adding the success of the January provincial elections was a sign that Iraq was embracing its independence, the Iranian Students News Agency reports.

The former Iranian president arrived in Iraq on Monday for a five-day visit to meet with leading officials. His visit was met with some opposition by several leading lawmakers, however.

The Voices of Iraq news agency reports Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi did not attend a welcoming ceremony for Rafsanjani.

Hashimi's Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party had joined a chorus of voices Tuesday raising objections to Rafsanjani's visit, saying his arrival in Baghdad was "unwelcome" because Iran had pushed Iraq to the brink of civil war.