Iran's parliament head favors Obama victory in U.S. presidential race

TEHRAN, Oct. 12 Kyodo -
Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of the Iranian parliament's foreign affairs
committee, has indirectly expressed hope that Democratic presidential candidate
Sen. Barack Obama will become the next U.S. president.
''We don't believe the U.S. strategic policy regarding Iran will change after
the election,'' Boroujerdi said in an interview with Kyodo News on Saturday. At
the same time, however, he said, ''It appears that Mr. Obama has better logic
regarding the region.''
Boroujerdi also said Sen. Joe Biden, Obama's vice presidential running mate, is
''among those senators who use more logical language regarding Iran.''
The Obama-Biden team is competing against Republican candidate Sen. John McCain
and his running mate Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in the Nov. 4 presidential
election to succeed George W. Bush.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has been refraining from commenting on
the U.S. presidential race, saying it is an internal issue to be decided by the
American people.
But the remarks by Boroujerdi, who has influence on Iranian diplomatic policy,
indicate Tehran is closely monitoring a possible change in the U.S. policy
toward Iran.
Boroujerdi, meanwhile, acknowledged talks between Iran and six countries over
the issue of Tehran's uranium enrichment program have been stalled but said
they are continuing to discuss the issue via telephone.
''We don't think talks have stopped,'' he said, adding there is no change in
Iran's policy of resolving the issue through dialogue.
The six countries involved in the talks are the five permanent members of the
U.N. Security Council -- Britain, China, France, the United States and Russia
-- plus Germany.
The international community is concerned that the uranium enrichment program
may be designed to develop nuclear weapons. Iran has denied such allegations,
saying the program is for peaceful purposes.
Boroujerdi also said Iran, as a U.N. member, has the right to become a
nonpermanent member of the U.N. Security Council and that Iran expects Japan to
support it.
At the same time, however, he said that considering Japan's economic and
political power, Iran backs Tokyo's bid to become a permanent member as it will
help strengthen Asia's say in the U.N. body.
The UNSC consists of the five permanent members with veto power and 10
nonpermanent members which are selected for two-year terms.
Japan and Iran are now competing for a nonpermanent UNSC seat.
==Kyodo