Iraqi officials: Prime minister survives assassination attempt

[ronscarpa]

I'm hoping for swift and final justice for those responsible..!

[currenzcraze]

Tensions Escalate in Iraq Following Drone Strike on Prime Minister's Residence

 

BY RICK MORAN NOV 07, 2021 3:59 PM ET 

 

AP Photo/Khalid Mohammed

In America, when people are dissatisfied with election results, they write angry social media posts and perhaps challenge the outcome in court.

 

In Iraq, when the election results are unsatisfactory, they try to blow up the prime minister.

 

That’s what happened on Saturday, in the form of a drone strike on Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s residence by what appear to be unhappy Shiite Islamist militants who were protesting parliamentary election results.

Al-Kadhimi was unhurt, but the attack punctuated the fact that the radical Islamist faction, Fatah, would not have much of a say in the new government being formed.

That job will fall to radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, whose forces battled U.S. Marines in Falluja and elsewhere in Iraq for a decade. The Sadrist faction won the most seats in parliament in the October 10 election at Fatah’s expense. The Iranian-backed Fatah lost two-thirds of its seats, despite getting the most votes.

Related: More Than 250 Iranians Executed in 2020, Including Nine Women And Four Children

Al-Sadr was a former darling of the Iranian clerics but had a falling out with them after they wanted him to be little more than a puppet for their interests. He is now firmly in the nationalist’s camp and will help in the formation of a new government—if the election results are ever certified.

New York Times:

Iraq’s election commission has yet to announce final results for the nationwide elections held almost a month ago as it wades through fraud accusations. The Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has emerged as the biggest winner, at the expense of Iranian-backed parties that lost seats. Mr. al-Sadr, whose fighters battled American forces during the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq, is viewed as an Iraqi nationalist with an uneasy relationship with Iran.

Political analysts believe those gains were mostly because of a more sophisticated strategy by the Sadrist organization, taking advantage of a new electoral system, which has an increased number of electoral districts. The United Nations, which had observers at the polls, praised the process. The political wings of the militia groups that lost seats claim they were defrauded.

 

Few are envious of Al-Sadr’s position as leader of the largest party in Parliament. The former U.S. deadly enemy now must balance the interests of Islamists, nationalists, pro-Iranian fanatics, and Sunni Muslims to form some kind of governing majority.

Kitaib Hezbollah, the militia arm of Lebanon’s terrorist group in Iraq, called the attack a false flag operation and al-Kadhimi a “Facebook creature.” Obviously, the terrorists have a PR guy who was educated in the west.

Abu Ali al-Askari, the nom de guerre of one of the leaders of Kitaib Hezbollah, a main Iranian-backed militia, accused Mr. al-Kadhimi of playing the role of a victim and said that no one in Iraq considered the Iraqi leader’s home worth losing a drone over.

“If there is anyone who wants to harm this Facebook creature there are many ways that are less costly and more guaranteed to achieve this,” he said in a posting on his Telegram channel.

While the attack has raised fears of growing instability amid Iraq’s political turmoil, the country’s citizens seemed to generally shrug it off. Later Sunday morning, the start of the Iraqi workweek, Baghdad streets were full of the normal rush-hour traffic jams.

“Instability” is normalcy in Iraq, so it’s not surprising residents reacted as if it was nothing out of the ordinary. It just goes to show that people can get used to anything, if it lasts long enough.

[haymon]

So who had the drone???

Who was controling it?

[yota691]

Iran: Agreement with Iraq to provide assistance in exposing those involved in the attempt to assassinate Al-Kazemi

•  Time: 11/08/2021 11:03:08
•  
•  Reading: 2,080 times

  

{Political: Al Furat News} Iran announced an agreement with Iraq to provide assistance in exposing those involved in the attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi at dawn yesterday, Sunday, at his home in the Green Zone in the center of the capital, Baghdad.

"It was agreed with Iraq to provide assistance in uncovering those involved in the attack," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said at a press conference in Tehran.

He added, "Iraq does not need any mediation now, and it has a government and it has good relations with Iran, which continues its assistance for the stability of Iraq."

He pointed out that "America must remove the source of the lawlessness from Iraq."

The spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Major General Yahya Rasoul, revealed yesterday that the launch area of the drones carried out to attack Al-Kazemi's house had been identified, and he said, "The two drones flew at a low altitude that prevents them from being detected by radars, and took off from northeastern Baghdad."

He continued, "The assassination attempt included a second explosion via a drone, and it was thwarted by shooting down the plane," stressing that "the terrorist assassination attempt was carefully planned."

While Al-Kazemi said during an exceptional session of the Council of Ministers: “We will pursue those who committed yesterday’s crime, we know them well and we will expose them, and the hand of justice will reach the killers of the martyr Colonel Nibras Farman, an officer of the Iraqi National Intelligence Service,” who was assassinated months ago in the Al-Baladiyat area, east of the capital, Baghdad.
 

[yota691]

 

Tension dominates Qaani's meeting with faction leaders, and this is his message to Al-Kazemi... Details of the lightning visit to Baghdad

 

 2021-11-08 02:16

 

Shafaq News/ The commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Ismail Qaani, expressed, on Monday, his rejection of the attempt to assassinate Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi during a meeting in Baghdad, which he arrived unannounced yesterday evening, Sunday. by both sides.

The visit comes a day after Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi announced that he survived an assassination attempt after his house was bombed by drones, while the security authorities explained that they were able to shoot down two of three drones that targeted the Prime Minister's home in the fortified Green Zone in the center of the capital, Baghdad.

In this regard, an informed source told Shafaq News Agency, that Qaani also met with Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi, where he confirmed his complete rejection of the assassination attempt against the latter.

He added that Qaani informed Al-Kazemi that Tehran was not aware of such an operation and that it did not know which party was behind it, and also showed assistance in the investigation of this matter.

The source pointed out that Qaani stressed, during his meeting with the leaders of the prominent Iraqi factions, the rejection of any escalation with the Iraqi government and called on them to accept the results of the elections and work to unify the Shiite political position in the next stage.

He also added that Qaani's meeting with the faction leaders was not in a positive atmosphere, but rather witnessed a kind of borderline between the two parties, which called on the commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards not to prolong the meeting.

And the Iraqi security and military forces entered a state of high alert after the assassination attempt was announced, and more special forces were deployed in the vicinity of the Green Zone and the surrounding neighborhoods.

No armed faction claimed responsibility for the attack, but it came a few hours after Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq vowed to "punish" Al-Kazemi in response to the killing of one of its leaders during a confrontation between security forces and supporters of forces that lost in the elections that organized a protest near the Green Zone.

[coorslite21]

2 hours ago, haymon said:

So who had the drone???

Who was controling it?

Sounds like an HRC operation....😮   CL

[coorslite21]

Think about this....the drones and munitions used in this assassination attempt were some of the $80+ billions in military assets just left in Afghanistan... same deal last month with the drone strike against a US base in Syria....

 

Thanks Biden administration......CL

[Spartakus]

Iran is going to say that it's America or Saudi Arabia.

[jg1]

6 hours ago, coorslite21 said:

Think about this....the drones and munitions used in this assassination attempt were some of the $80+ billions in military assets just left in Afghanistan... same deal last month with the drone strike against a US base in Syria....

 

Thanks Biden administration......CL

 

 

 

Carrello

Posted yesterday at 09:19 AM

  On 11/7/2021 at 8:40 AM, jg1 said:

The drones are probably freebies from Afghanistan, courtesy of the biden administration

 

You know drones signals can be disabled, right? And when disabled the drones returns to the remote control. And American equipment was flown out of Afghanistan, and what was left on the ground  was destroyed and guaranteed not to be "usable" any longer.

 

You must think our US military is incompetent.

[coorslite21]

4 hours ago, jg1 said:

 

 

 

Carrello

Posted yesterday at 09:19 AM

  On 11/7/2021 at 8:40 AM, jg1 said:

The drones are probably freebies from Afghanistan, courtesy of the biden administration

 

You know drones signals can be disabled, right? And when disabled the drones returns to the remote control. And American equipment was flown out of Afghanistan, and what was left on the ground  was destroyed and guaranteed not to be "usable" any longer.

 

You must think our US military is incompetent.

 

Who is the "Commander in Chief"?....is he competent?

 

How about Mr. Leading Man General of "Wokeness"?....how do you grade out his competency...he was even dealing with the Chinese behind Trumps back.. 

 

Leave 1000 US citizens behind....is that competent leadership from the Military?..... $80+ Billion in armaments left behind...?

 

The total plan was a failure...if they didn't have time to get all the people out....why would anyone think they they had/took the time out to disable all the weapons?

And why are we seeing rolling vehicles and flying Blackhawks if they were all disabled?

 

The present leadership is corrupt and incompetent...damn straight!

 

And yes....US drones and munitions were used against Iraqi leadership...

 

CL 

 

[jg1]

48 minutes ago, coorslite21 said:

 

Who is the "Commander in Chief"?....is he competent?

 

How about Mr. Leading Man General of "Wokeness"?....how do you grade out his competency...he was even dealing with the Chinese behind Trumps back.. 

 

Leave 1000 US citizens behind....is that competent leadership from the Military?..... $80+ Billion in armaments left behind...?

 

The total plan was a failure...if they didn't have time to get all the people out....why would anyone think they they had/took the time out to disable all the weapons?

And why are we seeing rolling vehicles and flying Blackhawks if they were all disabled?

 

The present leadership is corrupt and incompetent...damn straight!

 

And yes....US drones and munitions were used against Iraqi leadership...

 

CL 

 

All under orders from the comander and chief, who knows where he gets his orders from. The military did not make the decisions to do these things.

Thank you sir for expanding on this. 

[coorslite21]

22 minutes ago, jg1 said:

All under orders from the comander and chief, who knows where he gets his orders from. The military did not make the decisions to do these things.

Thank you sir for expanding on this. 

 

I have no issues with the every day soldier and the work they do daily for US citizens....

 

On the other hand leadership falls far short IMHO...   CL

[screwball]

iran has drones....cia has drones...everyone has drones

[screwball]

most probs now because of the botched pullout from Afghanistan now ISIS and Al Queda now has drones??

[yota691]

Iraq

AL-KAZEMI EXPRESSES HIS APPRECIATION FOR THE POSITIONS CONDEMNING AND DENOUNCING THE ATTEMPT TO ASSASSINATE HIM

 

 

Thursday, November 11, 2021 8:37 PM

Baghdad / The National News Center
, Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi expressed, on Thursday, his thanks for the responsible stances and condemnations, and the voices of denunciation that were issued regarding the "sinful terrorist" attack he was subjected to, returning them to stances that represented standing by Iraq and its people, before they were principled stances regarding violence. and terrorism.

According to a statement by the Prime Minister’s Media Office received by the “National News Center”, Al-Kazemi singled out “by mentioning the positions of clear condemnation and condemnation that were issued by the kings, leaders and leaders of brotherly and friendly countries of Iraq, as well as from a number of officials and official bodies in it, and His Excellency expresses his beautiful thanks to those who contacted They are reassured and once again reject terrorism in all its forms.”
Al-Kazemi expressed his "high appreciation for all the personalities and political and social forces that have expressed their solidarity and rejection, whether by condemnation or all other forms of solidarity, and thus record an honorable and supportive position for the Iraqi people as they face their most difficult challenges towards a secure and prosperous future."
The Prime Minister recorded his gratitude and thanks to all the local, Arab and international media outlets that dealt with the event in a responsible professional manner, with objectivity that adheres to the truth and present the facts. Its human essence under all circumstances.”

[yota691]

Al-Kazemi appreciates the positions of countries in condemning the attempt to assassinate him, and praises the professionalism of the media in dealing with the event

•  Time: 11/11/2021 20:37:43
•  
•  Reading: 858 times

  

{Political: Al-Furat News} Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi expressed "gratitude and appreciation for the responsible positions and condemnations, and the voices of condemnation that were issued regarding the heinous terrorist attack that his sovereignty was subjected to at dawn last Sunday, positions that represented standing by Iraq and its honorable people, before they were Principled positions on violence and terrorism.

A statement by his office, which the {Euphrates News} agency received a copy of, stated that Al-Kazemi “specially mentioned the positions of clear condemnation and condemnation that were issued by the kings, leaders and leaders of brotherly and friendly countries of Iraq, as well as from a number of officials and official bodies in it, and Jamil expressed his thanks to those who contacted them reassuringly and again.” Rejecting terrorism in all its forms.

The Prime Minister also expressed his "high appreciation for all the personalities and political and social forces that have expressed their solidarity and rejection, whether by condemnation or all other forms of solidarity, and thus record an honorable and supportive position for the Iraqi people as they face their most difficult challenges towards a secure and prosperous future."

The statement added, "Al-Kazemi registers his gratitude and thanks to all the local, Arab and international media outlets that dealt with the event with a responsible professional, objectively adhering to the truth and presenting the facts, calling on all media events and opinion platforms to an honorable, professional and bright stand, with honesty and sincerity to the high media message, which should not be abandoned. of its human essence under all circumstances.

[horsesoldier]

On 11/8/2021 at 10:51 PM, screwball said:

iran has drones....cia has drones...everyone has drones

Iran has big drones...CIA has big drones... ( sing it with me kids ) Everyone has big drones, BUT WE HAVE THE BIGGEST DRONES OF THEM ALL  !!!

[jg1]

 

 

UPDATE: Biden’s Gift to Taliban Included 110 Helicopters, 20 Light Attack Airplanes, 42,000 Light Attack Vehicles, 25,000 Grenade Launchers

By Jim Hoft
Published August 25, 2021 at 9:07am
884 Comments

Share(3k)Gab

If you thought the Joe Biden Afghanistan disaster was bad now – things are going to get much worse.

 

Joe Biden supplied the Taliban terrorist organization and their Islamist accomplices with billions of dollars worth of US armaments.

Advertisement - story continues 

Rather than destroying the equipment before leaving the country, Joe Biden decided to leave the nearly $85 billion worth of US military equipment to the Taliban.

 

 

Advertisement - story continues below

 

 

Nerve Rejuv

 

As The Gateway Pundit reported on Sunday — Joe Biden left 300 times more guns than those passed to the Mexican cartels in Obama’s Fast and Furious program.

 

A more complete list was created with public information and help from other intelligence sources.  The list does not include all the extra kinds of nonlethal equipment, everything from MRE’s, Medical Equipment, and even energy drinks.

 

 

The big story might be the pallets of cash the Taliban have been posting videos of pallets of weapons and stacks of $100 bills they have seized.

Earlier this week we posted a more complete list of US-supplied equipment abandoned to the Taliban by Joe Biden.

 

 

If the Taliban has 208 military aircraft then according to the NationMaster list the Taliban now ranks #26 of all countries in the number of military aircraft.

One example is below:

Advertisement - story continues below

 

It also appears the Taliban seized way more ScanEagle drones than the government is saying they did.   There is no accounting on the number of crashed units.

Direct Quote from Report
“This also raises concerns about how NAVAIR justified procuring 105 ScanEagle vehicles totaling over $32 million and spare parts totaling over $52 million, and future planned procurements.”

This week, the SIGAR audit on the $174 million drone loss disappeared from its website. Here is the link that was removed.

From 2017 to 2019, the U.S. also gave Afghan forces 7,035 machine guns, 4,702 Humvees, 20,040 hand grenades, 2,520 bombs and 1,394 grenade launchers, according to the since removed 2020 SIGAR report

Advertisement - story continues below

 

The numbers keep growing.

Here is a breakdown of estimated vehicle costs:

• Armored personnel carriers such as the M113A2 cost $170,000 each and recent purchases of the M577A2 post carrier cost $333,333 each.
• Mine resistant vehicles ranges from $412,000 to $767,000. The total cost could range between $382 million to $711 million.
• Recovery vehicles such as the ‘truck, wrecker’ cost between for the base model $168,960 and $880,674 for super strength versions.
• Medium range tactical vehicles include 5-ton cargo and general transport trucks were priced at $67,139. However, the family of MTV heavy vehicleshad prices ranging from $235,500 to $724,820 each. Cargo trucks to transport airplanes cost $800,865.
• Humvees – ambulance type (range from $37,943 to $142,918 with most at $96,466); cargo type, priced at $104,682. Utility Humvees were typically priced at $91,429. However, the 12,000 lb. troop transport version cost up to $329,000.
• Light tactical vehicles: Fast attack combat vehicles ($69,400); and passenger motor vehicles ($65,500). All terrain 4-wheel vehicles go up to $42,273 in the military databases.

Advertisement - story continues below

 

Breakdown on US Aircraft to Afghanistan.

Same UK source…

Advertisement - story continues below

 

More…

[yota691]

Observers: Iran-backed Iraqi Shiite Militias Threaten Iraq’s Sovereignty

November 18, 2021 7:55 AM

• Dale Gavlak

---

FILE: Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi attends a summit meeting in Baghdad, Iraq, August 28, 2021.

 

AMMAN, JORDAN — 

There has been no claim of responsibility for the November 7 assassination attempt on Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, but analysts say suspicion has widely fallen on Iran-backed Iraqi Shiite militias who were the biggest losers in last month’s parliamentary elections.

Middle East observer Khaled Abou Zahr writing in the Saudi Arab News daily says the voting results show that the Iraqi public reject the militias, while sending a clear message to Tehran: “Deal with our state and do not interfere in our domestic affairs.”

Abou Zahr argues that the only way for Iraq to keep its national sovereignty is to “outlaw the militias immediately and have them surrender their weapons,” saying “Iraq will not survive if the militias are allowed to continue endangering and threatening every voice that calls for sovereignty.”

He points out that 30 Iraqi activists who criticized the Iran-backed militias were assassinated in the past three years and asks: “how many more killings and abductions are necessary before Iraqis stand united against this threat?”

Senior analyst Nicholas Heras with the Newlines Institute in Washington sees the assassination attempt on al-Kadhimi indicating that “Iran doesn’t have complete control over these shadow militias and that should be a concern to U.S. policymakers.” He believes that al-Kadhimi is trying to use a law-and-order approach to rein in the militias.

“Iran has essentially created a hydra of militias inside Iraq. You cut off the head of one, another emerges in its place. That is the challenge that Prime Minister Kadhimi faces right now. He has taken a law enforcement approach to trying to investigate, identify and then root out these militias using the justification that they are illegal armed groups and that is against Iraqi law. The problem is there are multiple actors in Iraq who are part of the political system that have connections to these militias. So, Kadhimi is essentially trying to prosecute gunmen that are operating for a militia-mafia organization. It’s very difficult.”

Osama Al Sharif, a Middle East political commentator in Amman, views al-Kadhimi as a nonpartisan Iraqi nationalist trying to keep his country neutral in the ongoing U.S.-Iran showdown for influence. He points to al-Kadhimi’s efforts drawing Iraq back into the Arab fold with economic deals with Jordan and Egypt and mediation efforts between Saudi Arabia and Iran. He said these moves are “anathema to the pro-Iran proxies.”

Al Sharif, writing in the Jordan News online site, says al-Kadhimi “has few choices if he is to survive politically and keep his country from sinking into a dark chapter of political assassinations and possible civil war.” Al-Kadhimi must find a way “to neutralize and contain the militias,” he says, because Arabs are - in his words - “sick and tired of Iran’s meddling and its disruptive regional agenda.”

[nannab]

Of course not they are a bunch of sneaky cowards.

 

9 hours ago, yota691 said:

There has been no claim of responsibility for the November 7 assassination attempt on Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, but analysts say suspicion has widely fallen on Iran-backed Iraqi Shiite militias who were the biggest losers in last month’s parliamentary elections.

 

[horsesoldier]

Too bad we can’t open up an industrial size can if Whoop Azz. ( Probably left that too for the Taliban )

Generally speaking it’s overdue but the Chinese controlled Muppet Puppet in the WH has more important issues to tackle as in does he use a spoon or straw when negotiating a tricky bowl of applesauce.

 

[nannab]

Yeah and we have mumbles here in MA for Thanksgiving  UGGGGGGG!

[yota691]

An "Iranian reprimand" to the Iraqi militias..Details of "secret meetings" that embraced prominent officials

 

Al Hurra - Washington

December 23, 2021

 

 

Some officials in Baghdad blamed Iran-backed groups for the attack on Al-Kazemi's residence

Reuters news agency revealed, on Wednesday, attempts by Iran to reduce the internal tensions and turmoil raised by its militias in Iraq after the elections, a step that analysts describe as part of Tehran's efforts to distance itself from the actions of the militias in Iraq. 

A Reuters report said that the latest of these attempts "came through a high-level intervention last month, which took place hours after an attack on the residence of Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi, and some officials in Baghdad blamed the Iranian-backed groups." 

The report indicated that the commander of the "Quds Force" of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Ismail Qaani, rushed to Baghdad after the attack, according to militia officials, Iraqi politicians close to the militia, Western diplomats and an informed Iraqi security source.  

The agency stated that Qaani carried a message to the militias, refusing to recognize the results of the parliamentary elections, which took place on October 10, and were won by the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's movement, to the effect that it is necessary to "accept the results." 

Qaani told two militia leaders that "frivolous policies threaten the authority of the ruling Shiite majority in Iraq, through which Iran exercises its influence," according to people familiar with the meetings. 

The report pointed out that "the attack that targeted Al-Kazemi's house on November 7th, which was carried out by pleased aircraft, marked a dramatic escalation in the tensions that have been escalating in recent months between rival Shiite groups." 

Reuters confirmed that during a "brief meeting that took place in the office of a veteran Iran-backed political party in Baghdad, Qaani reprimanded two leaders of Iran-backed militias and accused them of dealing poorly with the repercussions of the elections." 

The agency added that it obtained this information from a militia official, with direct knowledge of the meeting, in addition to two politicians associated with the factions who were briefed on the course of the meeting.  

The official and the two politicians said that Qaani, who was accompanied by a small team, asked the two men to control their supporters and militia. 

Reuters quoted a militia official familiar with the meetings and two politicians close to the militias, as saying that the two men Qaani met in Baghdad were the leader of the Badr Organization Hadi al-Amiri and the leader of the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq militia Qais Khazali. 

The offices of Amiri and Khazali did not respond to Reuters requests for comment.  

"The Iranians were angry," the militia official added. He added that an Iranian official asked, "Do you want a Shiite civil war?" 

Reuters reported that its source declined to identify the Iranian official who made these statements. 

The agency quoted five other militia officials, Western diplomats and an Iraqi security official, all of whom were briefed on what happened in the meeting, saying that Qaani was leading the meetings.  

Reuters indicated that all of these sources provided similar accounts that Qaani told Iranian-backed groups of the need to stop fueling unrest in Iraq. 

The Iranian government, which condemned the attack on Al-Kazemi's house earlier, did not respond to Reuters' requests for comment on this report. 

The IRGC also did not respond to written questions from Reuters, and the IRGC's public relations office did not respond to the agency's phone calls. 

Reuters confirmed that it had not received responses to questions directed to Qaani, which were sent through the Iranian government and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.  

The Iraqi prime minister's office also did not respond to a Reuters request for comment. 

Iran 'losing control' 

And the Iraqi political analyst, Mowaffaq Al-Harbi, says that "Iran may have lost control of some of these militias loyal to it in Iraq since before the recent elections in Iraq." 

Al-Harbi added to Al-Hurra website that "it is clear that some militia leaders have started to act alone and in isolation from Iran and the rest of the militia leaders loyal to it." 

Al-Harbi believes that this matter "began to appear shortly after the killing of Qassem Soleimani, but it became clearer after the election results." 

Political analyst, Raad Hashem, points out that "Iran does not risk imposing a losing party, and it realizes that the elections have a winner who constitutes elections and a loser who goes to the opposition or throws crumbs at it." 

He added to Al-Hurra website, "But at the same time, Qaani is trying to portray to the world that Iran no longer has power over the losing parties," noting that "this is part of its attempts to distance itself from the transgressions or escalation of these militias." 

But the professor of international relations, Haitham al-Hiti, confirms in an interview with Al-Hurra that "the facts on the ground prove that all militia leaders in Iraq are subject to its will (Tehran), and none of them dares to step out of its cloak." 

Al-Hiti added that "Iran is trying to exchange roles with the militias loyal to it, and this should not deceive us all. The Iranians always play with the militias' card for their own interests." 

Al-Hiti believes that "Iran still considers the militias loyal to it to be part of what is known as the axis of resistance in the region," noting that "whenever Tehran shows its disavowal of them in public, then we can say that they are out of its control." 

Reuters noted that Qaani's recent mission in Baghdad is one of several Iranian interventions conducted over the past year to prevent an escalation of conflict between rival Shiite groups, which could threaten to undermine Iran's influence in Iraq and destabilize the region.  

She said that tensions between Shiite parties in Iraq are an unwanted distraction by Tehran, which is in indirect talks with Washington over the nuclear deal. 

The agency added that Tehran's military and political allies in Iraq mostly started as paramilitary groups funded and trained by Iran and later developed political wings.  

She said that they "are now operating as heavily armed military-political groups that control parts of the Iraqi economy and state institutions." 

It quoted Iraqi officials as saying that this growth in their power "encouraged some militia leaders to act more independently of Tehran." 

The agency also stated in its report that "some militia leaders complain in particular that Qaani lacks the charisma and Arabic language proficiency that his predecessor Qassem Soleimani enjoyed." 

Soleimani was killed in an American strike targeting his convoy near Baghdad International Airport, in January of 2020, and the deputy head of the Popular Mobilization Authority in Iraq, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, was killed in the strike. 

Reuters said that Qaani also met, during his visit that followed the attack on Al-Kazemi's house, with the Chief of Staff of the Popular Mobilization Forces, Abdul Aziz Al-Muhammadawi, nicknamed "Abu Fadak", according to two politicians close to the Iraqi militias. 

The two politicians said that Qaani told al-Mohammadawi the same message regarding the need to control the militias. 

El-Mohammedawi's office did not respond to questions about the meeting, according to Reuters. 

"Al-Sadr boycott the elections"

The agency confirmed that Iranian officials intervened on several other occasions to calm tensions between Shiite forces, including during the period leading up to the elections and when al-Sadr announced a boycott of the electoral process last July, but he reversed his decision weeks later. 

Reuters quoted Abdul Karim al-Moussawi, a member of Hadi al-Amiri's Al-Fateh coalition, saying that "this matter has worried Iran. Al-Sadr has always participated in the ruling Shiite alliances, and his refusal to participate in the political process would destabilize matters and lead to more instability." 

Reuters quoted an official in al-Sadr's political office, whose name was not revealed, as saying that the Iranian intelligence minister at the time, Mahmoud Alawi, the head of the Revolutionary Guards' security, Hussein Tayeb, and other officials, met some members of al-Sadr's political team in Baghdad. 

The agency said that Alawi and Al-Tayeb tried to persuade Al-Sadr not to boycott the elections, according to the official in Al-Sadr's political office. 

"Al-Sadr decided to reverse his decision to avoid escalation after he sought the advice of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani," the official in al-Sadr's political office told Reuters, adding that "Iranian mediation succeeded." 

Reuters reported that a representative of Sadr's political office declined to comment on this information.