Iraq is one of Iran’s last allies in the region, and Iran wants to show its clout in Iraq and pressure Baghdad. The Iranian head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, travelled to Iraq this week. He is arriving in Baghdad ahead of an Arab summit. Iraq is one of Iran’s last allies in the region, and Iran wants to show its clout in Iraq and pressure Baghdad. The arrival of Qaani coincides with Iranian pressure on Iraq to crack down on dissident groups that oppose the Iranian regime. It also comes as Iraq’s Prime Minister Shia al-Sudani met with key Iranian-linked leaders in Iran, including Hadi al-Amiri and Qais Khazali.
Qaani likely recalls that his predecessor, Qasem Soleimani, was killed by a drone strike ordered by US President Donald Trump in January 2020. Trump is still in the region while Qaani is in Baghdad. The National in the UAE noted that the “rare publicly announced visit comes days before the Arab Summit in Baghdad.”
The report in The National said that “the visit was announced by Iraqi National Security Adviser Qasim Al Araji, who met Mr Qaani in Baghdad. He said they discussed ‘joint efforts to secure the borders and the implementation of the security agreement between the two countries.’” (Read More)
