Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran’s parliament speaker, arrived in Iraq today (Wednesday) for an official visit. The trip comes as Iraq has become the heart of a diplomatic dispute between Iran and the United States.
3+Ghalibaf came to Baghdad to try to prevent Iraq from becoming a full American partner. As part of the effort, the senior official held a press conference in Baghdad and praised the country for standing firm during the recent war with the U.S.: “I have stated more than once that Islamic nations must expand all areas of cooperation and deepen relations.”
Iran’s parliament speaker explained that his current visit to the Iraqi capital “comes in the context of shaping the new regional order, and emphasizes strengthening bilateral cooperation between all countries in the region without any foreign interference”—a thick hint against Trump and U.S. involvement.
3+The situation where Iraq’s government leans toward the U.S. is new for the Iranians. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein, Iran has held members and ministers in the Iraqi parliament and government who supported it by virtue of being the world’s largest Shiite nation—giving it significant influence over Iraq’s leadership.
Ahead of elections held this past April in Iraq, President Trump realized he had an opportunity to change Iraq’s political situation. Trump expressed his support for newcomer candidate Ali al-Zaidi—on the condition that he form a government without Iranian elements, in the media, and get elected.
3+Al-Zaidi was indeed elected, but after trying for several months failed to form a government according to American demands. Nevertheless, al-Zaidi tried to execute a different move—attempting to disarm Iranian militias in Iraq — and even succeeded in getting three of them to announce they were willing to hand over their weapons.
However, the main militia, Hezbollah Brigades (Kataib Hezbollah), came with demands for the prime minister to complete the move: “Our conditions for coordination with any Iraqi government regarding weapons are a full and real withdrawal of American forces from Iraqi soil and its skies, their non-return, and the liberation of political and economic decision-makers in Iraq.” In other words, the Iranian dream incarnate.
3+Al-Zaidi responded to the request and announced last week that the mission of American forces and the international coalition in Iraq will end on September 30—but the Iranians aren’t going to settle for that. According to Saudi media, Ghalibaf wants to “arrange” the fate of the factions’ weapons after the planned withdrawal of American forces.
When adding to all this the report that al-Zaidi wants to integrate Popular Mobilization Forces (al-Hashd al-Shaabi) terrorists—an umbrella of several Iranian militias—into state institutions, you can say that Trump’s attempt to turn Iraq into his ally has taken a serious blow.