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Bush Receives Backing From 'Evil' Iran
The Associated Press
10/21/2004

TEHRAN, Iran -- U.S. President George W. Bush made Iran a charter member of his axis of evil, accuses it of sheltering al-Qaida and leads the charge to thwart Tehran's nuclear ambitions -- but still got an Iranian endorsement Tuesday over Democrat John Kerry.

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 recent decades, saw Iran openly supporting one U.S. presidential candidate over another.

"We should not forget that most sanctions and economic pressures were imposed on Iran during the time of [former Democratic U.S. President Bill] Clinton," Rowhani said."And we should not forget that during Bush's era -- despite his hard-line and baseless rhetoric against Iran -- he didn't take, in practical terms, any dangerous action against Iran."

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 if Iran was supporting Kerry against Bush.