TEHRAN, Iran: President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad boldly declared Tuesday that U.S. political influence in Iraq is "collapsing rapidly" and that Tehran is ready to help fill any power vacuum.

The hardline Iranian leader also defended the neighboring country's embattled Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who has recently faced harsh criticism by U.S. politicians for his unsuccessful efforts to reconcile Iraq's divided Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.

"The political power of the occupiers is collapsing rapidly," Ahmadinejad said at a press conference, referring to U.S. troops in Iraq. "Soon, we will see a huge power vacuum in the region. Of course, we are prepared to fill the gap, with the help of neighbors and regional friends like Saudi Arabia, and with the help of the Iraqi nation."

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