Iran had not been talking about Iraq’s recent election, but Wednesday, Iran Revolutionary Guard commander Esmail Qaani said Iraq shouldn’t face a crisis, and the vote needs to be respected.
This is particularly significant because the parties complaining most about the election are Shi’ite militia-aligned groups, seen as the most pro-Iran bloc.
By contrast, the Sadrists, who won the largest plurality, are strictly nationalist, and seek to reduce dependence on the US and Iran, making it surprising Iran is so comfortable with it.
The commander is calling for cooperation and stability in Iraq, and it may be they are less concerned who wins the vote than that one of their main neighbors becomes more reliable and less prone to violent unrest.
Top Iran General: Iraq Election Must Be Respected
Calls for cooperation and stability in Iraq
Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.
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