Iraq wary as Iran retreats after war scare
Shafaq News - Baghdad
Iraq is breathing a fragile sigh of relief after a US-brokered ceasefire between Iran and Israel brought a temporary halt to escalating hostilities. Though spared direct bombardment, Baghdad stood on edge as the skies above filled with aircraft and missiles, and local armed groups inside Iraq threatened to ignite a wider inferno.
The specter of full-scale war loomed large, stirring alarm among Iraqi officials already grappling with the limits of their influence, according to The National newspaper.
Iraq's strategic location once again made it a geopolitical fault line, as Iran-aligned armed groups based in Iraq raised the stakes by threatening to launch retaliatory operations.
However, analysts suggest the ceasefire may mark a turning point for Iran's regional posture. Ihsan Al Shammari, head of the Iraqi Political Thinking Centre, told the National that the war has compelled Tehran to scale back its ambitions and rethink its strategy amid sustained pressure from the Trump administration.
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