In an interview with Asharq al-Awsat daily, Dr. Ayad Allawi, former Iraqi Premier, said: In my view, Ahmadinejad’s visit had a message to all countries in the region, Americans and the world regarding the Iraqi internal affairs; the message to the world countries and particularly to the US was: Come and negotiate with us about the Iraqi problems; we are the powerful side in this equilibrium’

Q: There were some news that the Iranian ambassador in Baghdad had asked you to visit Ahmadinejad during his presence in Baghdad; how credible is this news?

Allawi: The Iraqi officials asked me to meet with him; they said Ahmadinejad wanted to meet with me; thereafter the Iranian ambassador came to my office and asked me to meet with Ahmadinejad; I told this meeting means to me that there should be here stability and non-interference in each other internal affairs and there should be a real dialogue to discuss all problems between Iraq and the Iranian regime, as well as regional problems in Emirates, Bahrain, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and wherever the Iranian regime interferes.