Subscribe 

In Syrian shadow, Maliki juggles Iran, US

Iraq's move to inspect Iranian aircraft flying to Syria may appease the United States but also shows how crisis in Damascus has pushed Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki into an ever more delicate balancing act between his two main allies. When he faced a parliamentary revolt this year, he could count on Tehran to pull strings […]

Patrick Markey and Suadad al-Salhy report for Reuters:

Iraq's move to inspect Iranian aircraft flying to Syria may appease the United States but also shows how crisis in Damascus has pushed Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki into an ever more delicate balancing act between his two main allies.

When he faced a parliamentary revolt this year, he could count on Tehran to pull strings of influence over restive fellow Shi'ite politicians in Iraq's majority community that saw the Iraqis quickly fall in line again behind the Shi'ite premier.