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"Noisy neighbor Iran ruining Iraq’s peace and quiet" (Opinion, Clifford D. May, Feb. 19) deserves comment, especially with regard to Iran’s involvement in Iraq.

The assumption that all Iranian activities in Iraq are nefarious is blatantly incorrect.

While Iran is involved in Iraq’s political landscape — although not the only player — by influencing leaders and supporting militias favorable to Iran, there are other activities as well. Iraq’s drought of several years’ duration, causing loss of arable land, necessitates import of food from Iran, which has a more productive agricultural sector.

In addition, despite technical problems of grid compatibility, Iran provides electric power to Iraq, which is sorely needed. In the construction sector, Iran modernized the airport and tourism infrastructure of Iraq’s holy city of Najaf, enabling pilgrimages and the bringing of revenue to Iraq.

Further, Iraq has agreed to build an oil pipeline to Iran, to enable crude oil refinement at Iran’s Abadan oil refinery and the providing of finished petroleum products back to Iraq by a return pipeline.

These are but a few examples of Iran’s growing commercial interests in Iraq, which are beneficial to both countries and augur an intertwining of their economies.

Iran — albeit with its own self-interest in mind — is well engaged in reconstructing Iraq while trying to ensure that Iraq will be well-disposed toward Iran and not a future threat.

Maj. Ralph Groves (retired), Ph.D. in Middle East StudiesRAF Alconbury, England

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