TEHRAN – Iraq’s ambassador to Tehran predicted that there will be no “major change” in U.S. policy toward Iraq as Democrat Barack Obama appeared poised for victory in the presidential election.

“There is no possibility of a major change in U.S. policy,” Mohammad Majid Al-Shaikh told the Mehr News Agency on Sunday. “Only some positions or behaviors many change.”
He said there is no difference between Republicans and Democrats because each of these two parties follow decisions made by certain institutes.
On a security pact between Iraq and the United States, the ambassador said the pact will never be a threat to neighboring countries including Iran.
Mohammad Majid Al-Shaikh reiterated statements by Iraqi officials that his country will never be used as a launch pad for attacks on other countries.
Negotiations between the U.S. and Iraq over the controversial pact have been slowed by a series of setbacks since talks began in March. The Iraqi government recently presented the U.S. side with dozens of amendments they want to make to a draft of the pact.
U.S. officials are reviewing the amendments and will respond this week, after the U.S. presidential elections, according to people familiar with the matter.
The current draft agreement calls for U.S. troops to leave Iraq at the end of 2011, although some soldiers could be asked to stay longer to help train and support Iraqi security forces. An agreement is necessary to replace a United Nations mandate that expires at the end of this year.