{"id":8594,"date":"2017-10-23T23:58:33","date_gmt":"2017-10-24T04:58:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/?p=8594"},"modified":"2017-10-23T23:58:33","modified_gmt":"2017-10-24T04:58:33","slug":"analysis-how-the-tide-turned-against-iran-in-iraqi-kurdistanvideo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/8594\/","title":{"rendered":"ANALYSIS: How the tide turned against #Iran in #Iraqi Kurdistan+VIDEO"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #333399;\">BY: Heshmat Alavi &#8211; Al Arabiya, 23 October 2017<strong>: <\/strong><\/span>Despite all the brouhaha made over Iran\u2019s \u201clightning\u201d advances in Iraqi Kurdistan, the entire scene change in less than 48 hours.<\/p>\n<p>Tehran desperately needed to respond to US President Donald Trump\u2019s lambasting October 13th speech launching a major policy shift and designating the Iranian regime\u2019s crown jewel, the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), as a terrorist organization.<br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Ykt2Ux2qvUQ?rel=0\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"color: #808000;\">The man thought to be Soleimani appears at about three seconds into the video, wearing a neckerchief.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The flag representing the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), brought down by Iran-backed militia forces known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), was raised once again Wednesday night.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 559px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mojahedin.org\/images\/2017\/20171023847436979328153_10.jpg\" alt=\"Qassem Suleimani and Hadi al-Ameri head of Badr Organization\" width=\"559\" height=\"372\" longdesc=\"Qassem Suleimani and Hadi al-Ameri head of Badr Organization\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span style=\"color: #333399;\"> Qassem Suleimani and Hadi al-Ameri head of Badr Organization<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Despite the tens of thousands of locals who fled their homes, footage on social media showed armed residents stationed in the streets of Kirkuk, Khaneqein and a number of other cities.<\/p>\n<p>With locals taking matters into their own hands, and international pressure escalating on Baghdad, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered all armed forces other than local security units to withdraw, forcing the PMF to retreat.<\/p>\n<p>This is literally a slap in the face for Tehran.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Conflicting Reports<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Rumors and various reports stream out of Iraqi Kurdistan on a constant basis. Reports indicate forces loyal to the Kurdistan Democratic Party led by KRG President Masoud Barzani arresting a number of ISIS commanders in the town of Hawija.<\/p>\n<p>Further reports claim of these ISIS units coordinating attacks with Iran\u2019s Quds Force and its commander, Qassem Soleimani. In this regard, allegations have been raised accusing the PMF of launching attacks targeting Kurdish areas aimed at releasing these very ISIS commanders.<\/p>\n<p>As always, rumors and allegations are endless. Without a doubt, however, is the fact that the Iran-backed PMF units, considered Tehran\u2019s \u201cnational treasure\u201d in Iraq, have been forced to withdraw from Kurdish cities.<\/p>\n<p>Many reports of these units attacking Kurdish homes, plundering people\u2019s property and even setting their residents on fire were posted in the mere 48 hours of their presence in these cities. PMF units are known to have committed similar crimes in Sunni Arab cities following their cleansing of ISIS forces.<\/p>\n<p>The United Nations expressed its worries and Washington called an end to all clashes and disputes.<\/p>\n<p>The Iranian opposition National Council of Resistance of Iran issued a statement strongly condemning the IRGC\u2019s \u201caggression and occupation,\u201d adding Suleimani had been \u201cplotting for it in Sulaimaniya and Baghdad and other areas of Iraq.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Iran\u2019s True Colors<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The actions of Iran\u2019s IRGC and the Quds Force in Iraqi Kurdistan, parallel to Suleimani\u2019s presence, made Tehran\u2019s deceitful role and intentions crystal clear for all parties.<\/p>\n<p>Various outlets have accused the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), defragmented following the death of former leader and Iraqi president Jalal Talibani, of signing behind-the-curtain deals with Iran.<\/p>\n<p>Suleimani has been in Kurdistan for at least two weeks and there are rumors of Talibani\u2019s family agreeing to stand down in the face of PMF units entering Kirkuk and other Kurdish regions.<\/p>\n<p>Iran, of course, has not remained silent and used its influence in an attempt to save face and make further threats. The Iraqi judiciary issued an arrest warrant for PUK Deputy Director General Kosrat Rasul. In contrast to Iraqi Kurdish politician Barham Salih and members of the Talabani family who expressed their gratitude for Iran\u2019s \u201csupport\u201d of the Kurds, Rasul described the events taking place in Kirkuk as an occupation, going on to accuse certain figures of becoming Tehran\u2019s 5th column.<\/p>\n<p>There are now even reports heard of the Iraqi judiciary summoning Barzani himself to a court of law on charges of threatening Iraqi security, illegal oil smuggling, along with other administrative and legal violations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>America Steps In<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>There is word of senior Trump administration officials contacting al-Abadi, threatening military action if the PMF refuses to withdraw from Kurdish cities. Rumors also indicate Moscow made similar threats, as all parties sense the dangers of a fresh round of military conflict in Iraq playing into the hands of the all but completely annihilated ISIS, and more importantly Tehran.<\/p>\n<p>Fresh in the minds of all parties are scenes of PMF units staging attacks on Sunni communities, committing atrocities against entire towns and villages. Such an outcome would only play into the hands of Iran as the sole benefactor of increasing turmoil in Iraq.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Big Picture<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Without a doubt the expansion of PMF units across Iraq, and as a result the IRGC Quds Force\u2019s influence in this very important stretch of land, has raised eyebrows and concerns in Washington.<\/p>\n<p>The PMF is specifically seeking to occupy certain areas to facilitate the land bridge sought by the Quds Force between Tehran and Damascus, stretching to Lebanon and the shores of the Mediterranean. With such means the Quds Force would enjoy the ease of providing necessary arms and equipment for the Lebanese Hezbollah, and beyond.<\/p>\n<p>As various forces enter and exit the restive cities of northern Iraq, efforts are also underway to launch talks between Baghdad and the KRG capital, Erbil.<\/p>\n<p>Iraqi President Foad Masoum, himself a Kurd, has been travelling between these two cities in attempts to have al-Abadi and Barzani agree to sit for negotiations. Al-Abadi was also recently the guest of Saudi King Salman in a visit to Riyadh that certainly caught the attention of Tehran.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are open and we want to move away from the past,\u201d he said in the Saudi capital. \u201cThe region cannot tolerate any further divisions. Interference in the internal affairs of other state should stop.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Looking Forward<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Iraq will be holding general elections next year and al-Abadi is currently under pressure from two Shiite fronts.<\/p>\n<p>Tehran-backed elements led by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki have long been planning their return to power. Supporters of Muqtada Sadr, a Shiite cleric distancing from Iran and establishing closer ties with Saudi Arabia, is seeking to institute his position. It is a very high probability \u2013 and a nightmare scenario for Tehran \u2013 that Sadr may ally with secular Shiites led by Iraqi Vice President Ayad Allawi, alongside a number of Sunni groups to establish a coalition government.<\/p>\n<p>The developments in Kurdistan have raised the intensity level in Iraq. Iran understands very well that the fall of the ISIS will allow the US and international community to focus on the main element threatening the entire region.<\/p>\n<p>As explained in a White House press release prior to US President Donald Trump\u2019s landmark October 13th Iran policy speech:<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 Over the last decade and a half, United States policy has also consistently prioritized the immediate threat of Sunni extremist organizations over the longer-term threat of Iranian-backed militancy.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 In doing so, the United States has neglected Iran\u2019s steady expansion of proxy forces and terrorist networks aimed at keeping its neighbors weak and unstable in hopes of dominating the greater Middle East. Recently, the Iranian regime has accelerated the seeding of these networks with increasingly destructive weapons as they try to establish a bridge from Iran to Lebanon and Syria.<\/p>\n<p>\u2022 The Trump Administration will not repeat these mistakes.<\/p>\n<p>Iran sought to recover following the IRGC\u2019s terrorist designation by the US Treasury Department under Trump\u2019s orders. With its supported units forced to withdraw from Kurdish cities, this crusade has not only backfired, but transformed into yet another slap in the face for Tehran\u2019s rulers.<\/p>\n<p>These major developments have sparked major diplomat efforts, as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has launched a trip to the Middle East, with a first stop in Riyadh and making a call for Iranian \u201cmilitias\u201d to leave Iraq.<\/p>\n<p>Analysts view this as a Washington push to establish a Saudi-Iraq alliance aimed at countering Iran\u2019s regional belligerence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>BY: Heshmat Alavi &#8211; Al Arabiya, 23 October 2017: Despite all the brouhaha made over Iran\u2019s \u201clightning\u201d advances in Iraqi Kurdistan, the entire scene change <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/8594\/\" title=\"ANALYSIS: How the tide turned against #Iran in #Iraqi Kurdistan+VIDEO\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8595,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,37],"tags":[195,193,194,196,192,93,114],"class_list":["post-8594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news","category-terrorism-fundamentalism","tag-iran-meddling-in-iraq","tag-iran-meddling-in-other-countries","tag-iran-meddling-in-syria","tag-iran-military-news","tag-iran-missile","tag-iran-nuclear","tag-iran-nuclear-deal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8594","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8594"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8594\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8596,"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8594\/revisions\/8596"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8595"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.irandemocratic.org\/public_html\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}