Report: Iraq's ability to get rid of Iranian influence is linked to international support for nation

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[size=52]Report: Iraq's ability to get rid of Iranian influence is linked to international support for national forces to get rid of this influence[/size]

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[size=45]It is not impossible, but it is difficult
[size=45]Chaos in Iraq may lead to weakening the role of Iran and its loyalists and losing control of the most important areas of influence in the Middle East, according to observers who saw that the results of the recent elections and the victory of the leader of the Sadrist movement Muqtada al-Sadr, and then his abandonment of this victory complicated the already tense situation in Iraq.[/size]
[size=45]An analysis of the Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" indicated that the struggle for power in Iraq could lead to regional and even international consequences.[/size]
[size=45]He added, that Iran fears that any new elections in Iraq will only lead to a further erosion of its influence, noting that since the Iraqi protests in 2019 that toppled the government and led to the current crisis, the general anti-Iran sentiment has increased.[/size]
[size=45]The analysis made it clear that these facts worry Iran's leaders greatly, pointing out that Tehran believes that losing control of Iraq may lead to a chain reaction in Lebanon and destroy Iran's image as a regional power.[/size]
[size=45]He added that many Iraqis believe that Iran will use all its economic and political power against al-Sadr and his supporters, and perhaps send its Shiite militias to confront al-Sadr's group.[/size]
[size=45]The political crisis in the country is still strong, as Iraq has been experiencing complete political paralysis since the legislative elections in October 2021. Endless negotiations between the major political forces did not lead to the election of a President of the Republic and the assignment of a Prime Minister.[/size]
[size=45]Iraq: Al-Sadr's supporters storm parliament to protest against Al-Sudani's candidacy for prime minister[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sadr began to exert popular pressure on his opponents within the pro-Iranian coordination framework and left them the task of forming the government, after the 73 Sadrist movement's representatives resigned last June from Parliament, even though they held the largest number of seats in it as a bloc.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Sadr, who has a wide popular base, showed that he is still able to mobilize the masses for his political goals, after his supporters stormed Parliament twice in less than a week, and began a sit-in, rejecting the nomination of Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani by the coordination framework, to take over the prime minister.[/size]
[size=45]Haaretz's analysis indicated that all parties concerned with the crisis in Iraq announced that they did not want armed conflict or street clashes. But in an atmosphere like Baghdad, where the temperature is about 50 degrees Celsius this week, the fear is that someone will open fire or explode a bomb, and everyone will wage war against everyone.[/size]
[size=45]The United Nations, which has sent a special envoy, and the United States and other Western countries are asking for peace, but no one will be surprised if this request does not find buyers in Iraq. Iran is concerned about these developments and its inability to dictate its viewpoint on the political process. And her attempts to propose Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani, the Coordinating Framework candidate for prime minister, were nipped in the bud.[/size]
[size=45]The analysis pointed out that the attempts of Nuri al-Maliki, who served as prime minister in the past and is considered pro-Iran, were dropped from the agenda after his insults to al-Sadr and other Shiite leaders were leaked to the media. Esmail Ghaani, the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force - who replaced Qassem Soleimani after he was killed by the Americans in January 2020 - has visited Iraq several times recently. But he failed to persuade the parties to reach an agreement.[/size]
[size=45]Political analyst Haitham al-Hiti believes that the loss of the coordination framework in the last elections constituted a "major defeat" for Iran at the popular level.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Hiti added in an interview with the American "Al-Hurra" website, that "the solution in Iraq lies in supporting a political force that competes with Al-Sadr, to be an alternative to the coordination framework in order to change the course of the political process and abolish Tehran's role."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Hiti asserts that "getting rid of Iranian influence is not impossible, but it is difficult," noting that the Iranian role has diminished greatly in Iraq and has become much weaker compared to what it was 20 years ago, especially at the popular level.[/size]
[size=45]Al-Hiti links Iraq's ability to get rid of Iranian influence with the support that the international community can provide to national forces in order to help them move forward with the process of change.[/size]
[size=45]The last elections were held in October 2021, and they were early elections organized with the aim of calming the popular protests against the political class that rocked Iraq in the fall of 2019.[/size]
[size=45]The Sadrist movement won 73 seats, becoming the largest bloc represented in Parliament, which includes 329 deputies. Al-Sadr, along with his Sunni and Kurdish allies, wanted to name the prime minister and form a “national majority” government.[/size]
[size=45]However, this was rejected by his opponents within the coordination framework that includes pro-Iranian factions. The requirement of the coordination framework was to preserve the traditional consensual solution between all parties of the “Shiite House” in forming the government.[/size]
[size=45]To put pressure on his opponents, Sadr, who used to take sudden steps, pushed his deputies to resign from parliament last June.[/size]
[size=45]Currently, thousands of his supporters have camped for more than a week in Parliament to protest the name of the Coordination Framework candidate for prime minister. Thus, he proved that he is still able to move the street card to push for the realization of his political demands.[/size]
[size=45]February 25 newspaper | [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]..Al-Sadr supporters flock to the center of [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] and reach the Green Zone[/size]
[size=45]Political analyst Raad Hashem believes that "until now, we cannot call what is happening a step to undermine Iran's role," adding, "It may weaken this role at the near level, but it will not undermine it."[/size]
[size=45]Hashem says to the same source, that "there must be a strong influence of the international factor in order to help undermine Iran's role in Iraq."[/size]
[size=45]Hashem believes that “the chaos, lack of understanding and homogeneity among the Iraqi political forces serve the Iranian project, because it sends a message that Iraqi democracy is shaky, and this is in the interest of Tehran.”[/size]
[size=45]On the other hand, Hashem points out that "Al-Sadr made a strategic mistake when he allowed those close to Tehran to take the initiative when he left parliament and gave them the legal opportunity to form a government."[/size]
[size=45]However, Hashem believes that “if al-Sadr’s movements lead to a real change with regard to the form and methodology of the existing political system, amending the constitution, weakening the role of Iran’s loyalists and ending their popularity completely, we can say that there is hope. As for demonstrations, raising slogans and inciting the street only, this will not lead to effective results. “.[/size][/size][/size]

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