Iran endorses Bush for president

Associated Press: The head of Iran’s security council said Tuesday that the re-election of President Bush was in
Tehran’s best interests, despite the administration’s “axis of evil” label, accusations that Iran harbors al-Qaida terrorists
and threats of sanctions for the country’s nuclear ambitions.
Associated Press

Security council chief: ‘We haven’t seen anything good from Democrats.’

TEHRAN, Iran – The head of Iran’s security council said Tuesday that the re-election of President Bush was in Tehran’s best interests, despite the administration’s “axis of evil” label, accusations that Iran harbors al-Qaida terrorists and threats of sanctions for the country’s nuclear ambitions.

Historically, Democrats have harmed Iran more than Republicans, said Hasan Rowhani, head of the Supreme National Security Council, Iran’s top security decision-making body.

“We haven’t seen anything good from Democrats,” Rowhani told state-run television in remarks that, for the first time in decades, saw Iran openly supporting one U.S. presidential candidate over another.

Though Iran generally does not publicly wade into U.S. presidential politics, it has a history of preferring Republicans over Democrats, who tend to press human rights issues.

“We do not desire to see Democrats take over,” Rowhani said when asked whether Iran was supporting Democratic Sen. John Kerry against Bush.

“It’s not an endorsement we’ll be accepting anytime soon,” Bush campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel said in response. “Iran should stop its pursuit of nuclear weapons, and if they continue in the direction they are going, then we will have to look at what additional action may need to be taken, including looking to the U.N. Security Council.”