Iraq grapples with Iranian influence ahead of elections
Iran's influence is looming large as Iraqis prepare to head to the ballot box for parliamentary elections next month, with many in the country worried that Tehran may be seeking to strengthen its political grip in Baghdad. Iranian support and military advisers helped Baghdad's Shiite-led government beat back ISIL. But with the insurgents now largely […]Iran's influence is looming large as Iraqis prepare to head to the ballot box for parliamentary elections next month, with many in the country worried that Tehran may be seeking to strengthen its political grip in Baghdad.
Iranian support and military advisers helped Baghdad's Shiite-led government beat back ISIL. But with the insurgents now largely defeated militarily, Iran's political clout has emerged as a divisive issue ahead of the polls.
That influence has sowed fear among Iraq's disenchanted minority Sunnis, who bore the brunt of the war's destruction, and has also caused concern in Washington. Despite tensions between the United States and Iran, both remain allies of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi's government.
