Iniesta is as good as messi in keeping the ball while dribbling, i think he does it with more elegance. Messi has the advantage of change in pace that is what makes him even more dangerous but skill wise both are comparable. Hell even they are comparing hazard to messi now i don't see why iniesta can't be compared to messi. And comparing two players doesn't necessarily both are at same level exactly, it just means they are close. If you guys are thinking i am saying messi and iniesta are equal, nope i did not say that. I just think they are comparable and he comes second after messi.
Iniesta has not shown that he can dribble in forward areas like Messi can. Hazard can also dribble in the final third pretty well, that's why he gets compared to Messi dribbling wise. Even then, for sheer skill he can't match Messi either. In the forward lines, the marking is tighter and the defending is more aggressive and last ditch.
Let's not make it look like Iniesta and Messi have the same level of dribbling. Iniesta is extremely good at creating space with his dribbles and getting out of tight situations when he's not being attacked. But when he runs out of room in the front line, he's not even at Messi's level in keeping the ball. Because neither is he as fast as Messi nor is he as strong. Physically, Messi is very far ahead of Iniesta.
Add to that Messi's phenomenal vision and passing ability and once-in-a-generation scoring ability, and it's not fair to compare Iniesta at his peak to Messi. Ronaldo IS comparable, but only goal-scoring wise. Ronaldo's goal-scoring is also once-in-a-generation and he should be lauded for that. In the general media, he gets compared to Messi because he plays for Madrid, he's a superstar and they need the comparison to maintain their cash flows.
Sorry about that. We all appreciate Iniesta here, but his main (only) advantage over Messi is that, at his prime, he affected all 90 min of the game being a midfielder, while Messi's impacts were in bursts.