Article: ME GEN Iraq Iran's Influence, 1st Ld-Writethru

HAMZA HENDAWI, Associated Press Writer
AP Worldstream
02-13-2005
Dateline: BAGHDAD, Iraq
With a Shiite coalition set to take power in Iraq, American officials have begun grilling top Iraqi Shiite politicians to try to gauge the extent of their relationship with neighboring Iran, a predominantly Shiite nation ruled by its clergy.

The nature of the Shiite coalition's ties to Iran has become a crucial issue now that the cleric-backed alliance has emerged as the leading faction in the new Iraqi parliament and at a time when the United States and Iran are engaged in a war of words over Iran's nuclear program.

In recent talks, U.S. diplomats have bluntly asked the leaders how a Shiite-dominated ...

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