Last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi attended the funeral procession of Iran's supreme leader. This week, he shook hands in the Oval Office with the man who had him killed. Why it matters: Like every Iraqi prime minister in the last two decades, Zaidi has to conduct a delicate balancing act between strategic relations with Washington and Tehran. When both sides are shooting at each other, it's much harder. - Zaidi's meeting Tuesday with President Trump was seen by the White House as a big win for the administration. U.S. envoy to Iraq Tom Barrack had been working to secure Zaidi's visit for several weeks as a signal that the new Iraqi government is moving toward the U.S. and distancing itself from Iran. Driving the news: The…
In the cities of Najaf and Karbala, home to two of Shiite Islam’s holiest sites, hundreds of thousands attended commemorations for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who extended Iran’s influence in Iraq.
The ceremony for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, held at a site considered sacred by many Shiites, was the latest step in a weeklong funeral organized by Iran’s government.
After lying in state in Tehran, Mr. Khamenei’s body will be taken to some of the holiest sites in Shiite Islam during a four-day procession that is expected to draw millions.
Recent sanctions will entrench Hezbollah rather than weakening it. The post Washington Risks Inflaming Sectarian Fears in Lebanon appeared first on The American Conservative .
Foreign Affairs Washington Risks Inflaming Sectarian Fears in Lebanon Recent sanctions will entrench Hezbollah rather than weakening it. (Photo by MAHMOUD ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images) In an unprecedented move, the Trump administration announced a decision to impose sanctions on officials in Lebanon’s military and security apparatus who are accused of aiding Hezbollah. The sanctions targeted a Lebanese Army general and a branch chief of the Lebanese Armed Forces’ Intelligence Directorate, marking the first time an American administration has taken such measures against members of Lebanese state institutions.…Open
While there is a real risk of lone-wolf attacks, Iran has few incentives to orchestrate organized terrorism. The post Right-Sizing the ‘Iran-Linked’ Terror Threat to the U.S. appeared first on The American Conservative .
Foreign Affairs Right-Sizing the ‘Iran-Linked’ Terror Threat to the U.S. While there is a real risk of lone-wolf attacks, Iran has few incentives to orchestrate organized terrorism. As the war with Iran rages on, much is being said about Iranian-linked acts of terrorism in the United States. While there is indeed a possibility that the Iran war could instigate violence in the American homeland—as it appears to already have done—the severity with which the situation is being described is probably overblown. This owes to the existence of restraints that are likely to prevent “Iranian-linked terrorism” from becoming a top…Open
Nuri Kamal al-Maliki, a former prime minister, has been nominated to the post by the main Shiite Muslim bloc in the Iraqi Parliament.
AI:President Trump has issued an ultimatum to the Iraqi government, threatening the immediate withdrawal of United States support if Nuri Kamal al-Maliki is allowed to reclaim power as Prime Minister. This move comes after Iraq's primary Shiite Muslim bloc nominated Maliki for the position, a development that poses significant risks to regional stability and American interests in the Middle East. As tensions escalate between Washington and Tehran, this political maneuvering in Baghdad forces a choice between maintaining a strategic partnership with the United States or facing total isolation from global support.Open