Iraq caught between US-Iran axis: Experts debate Baghdad's fate
Speaking Monday at a Chatham House panel in London—attended by Shafaq News—Natali, now a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, stressed that Washington views Baghdad as increasingly aligned with Tehran and is closely watching whether Iraqi authorities will comply with sanctions on Iran.
Although the US has not completely disengaged, Natali explained that American involvement in Iraq's state-building and civil society development is steadily diminishing, marked by sharp reductions in institutional support.
UK MENA Director Stephen Hickey acknowledged, during the panel, Iraq's efforts to stay neutral amid rising regional tensions but cautioned that its stability remains precarious, urging Baghdad to advance governance reforms, crackdown on corruption, and restructure its security forces to avoid being pulled into a wider conflict. He also recommended deeper ties with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar as a path to regional stability, calling them increasingly constructive actors.
Another Speaker, Hamidreza Azizi of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs argued that Tehran still clings to its foothold in Iraq, despite growing resistance, warning that Iran perceives Iraq's economic recovery and closer Arab ties as threats to its dominance. 'Iran doesn't want a strong Iraq; it wants a Shiite-led Iraq,' Azizi remarked, adding that Tehran now favors Oman over Baghdad as a diplomatic channel, despite their formal alliance.
In addition, Political analyst Sajad Jiyad of Century International urged a recalibration of Iraq-Iran relations, framing the moment as a strategic opening for Baghdad. 'Iran knows the region has changed. It can't keep managing Iraq through the IRGC,' Jiyad observed, referencing Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi's recent visit to Lebanon as evidence of Tehran's shifting approach.
Jiyad recalled that the last major shift in Iraq-Iran ties came in 2011, following the US troop withdrawal, when Iran's focus turned to countering American presence. Today, he argued, regional realignments give Iraq's current or future leadership a chance to renegotiate the relationship based on the realities of a transformed geopolitical landscape.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Memri
2 hours ago
- Memri
PFLP-Affiliated Designated Terror Organization Samidoun Hosts Top Hamas Official Basem Naim In International Online Seminar Attended By Western Student Activists; Naim: Supporting Palestinian Resistan
On June 9, 2025, the website of the Samidoun Prisoner Solidarity Network, which is Designated a terrorist by the U.S., Canada, and other countries, published a summary of its online "international seminar" with Hamas Political Bureau official Basem Naim.[1] The event was attended by "Tariq el-Tahrir Student and Youth Network, activists from the Palestinian Women's Movement – Alkarama, representatives of the Anti-Imperialist Front, trade unionists and political activists from the Masar Badil: Palestinian Alternative Revolutionary Path Movement, as well as activists from over 24 countries across Europe, North and South America, and the Arab region and beyond."[2] During the seminar, Naim delivered a speech that was translated live into English and Spanish, calling for international support for the Palestinian resistance, saying: "The battle in Gaza is not only a Palestinian one, but an international battle against colonialism, fascism, and ethnic cleansing. [...] The trench of resistance is the trench of humanity confronting the Zionist racist project."[3] For more about Basem Naim, see MEMRI TV clip 11894. The International Coordinator of Samidoun, Charlotte Kates, also spoke at the online event. Kates is married to Khaled Barakat, who has been identified by the U.S. government as a senior member of the PFLP. He is also designated terrorist by the U.S. and Canada. This is not the first time Samidoun has lent its international platform to Hamas propaganda targeting international youth. In June 2024, Samidoun livestreamed an interview with Hamas Political Bureau member Ghazi Hamad, and in May 2024, a livestream interview with Hamas Spokesman Osama Hamdan.[4] Also in May, 2024, Samidoun played a specially recorded message from Basem Naim addressing a "Resistance Festival" in Brussels. The Samidoun article concluded its description of the event by saying the seminar is part of its "series of international initiatives" aimed at "reinforcing the connection between the Palestinian struggle and revolutionary movements in the region and around the world." It added that "broad participation [in these initiatives] reflects the growing international solidarity front with the resistance and the battle for liberation and return."[5] The Samidoun article describing the online seminar with Hamas official Basem Naim Samidoun's X post linking to its article about the event with Hamas official Basem Naim[6]
Iraq Business
3 hours ago
- Iraq Business
Leveraging Iran's Defeat to Strengthen US-Iraq Security Relations
By Michael Knights, for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Leveraging Iran's Defeat to Strengthen U.S.-Iraq Security Relations Tehran's Iraqi proxies mostly sat out the twelve-day war, but this pragmatic restraint will not forestall growing U.S.-Iran competition over Iraq's airspace, economic partnerships, and other sectors. Click here to read the full report. Tags: Dr Mike Knights, Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba, Iran, Kata'ib Hezbollah, Kataib Hezbullah, militias, PMU, Popular Mobilization Forces, Popular Mobilization Units, United States, Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Shafaq News
4 hours ago
- Shafaq News
EU calls on Israel to fully implement Gaza aid deal
Shafaq News - Brussels The European Union and Israel have reached an agreement to increase humanitarian aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip, EU foreign policy chief Kaya Kallas announced on Friday. Revealed during a regional summit in Kuala Lumpur, the agreement sets out a significant rise in daily truck shipments of food and essential supplies. It also includes reopening additional border crossings and reactivating overland aid routes through Jordan and Egypt. These measures are expected to be put into effect in the coming days, accompanied by monitoring systems designed to ensure assistance does not reach Hamas. The agreement comes after weeks of internal EU discussions about potential pressure tools should talks with Israel fail to improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza. Diplomats in Brussels, cited by German news agency DPA, confirmed that Kallas had previously shared a list of proposed actions with member states. Prepared following a June meeting of EU foreign ministers, the list detailed a range of options including suspending trade benefits, imposing an arms embargo, and blocking Israel's participation in the EU's Horizon research funding program. Additionally, it proposed tighter entry conditions for Israeli nationals and sanctions targeting officials deemed responsible for Gaza's humanitarian situation. The EU-Israel air transport agreement, which allows open market access for direct flights, was also identified as a potential leverage point. Notably, these discussions were supported by an internal EU review that found Israeli military operations in Gaza breached
