Report reveals Iran’s role in Iraq, Lebanon & Syria

Islam Mohamed

Details from a trove of secret Iranian intelligence cables were published by The New York Times. The leak exposed Iran’s vast influence in Iraq, detailing the painstaking efforts of Iranian spies to co-opt Iraqi leaders and infiltrate every aspect of political life.

The report revealed that US President Barack Obama had pushed for the ouster of Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki as a condition for renewed American military support. He believed Mr. al-Maliki’s draconian policies and crackdowns on Iraqi Sunnis had helped lead to the rise of the militants.

Researcher Mohamed Alaa Eddin, an expert on Iranian affairs, said that Iraq has been a key target for Iran since the US invasion in 2003.

“The Iranians used its airspace to transport military supplies to the Syrian regime and its militias, which total tens of thousands there,” Alaa Eddin told THE REFERENCE.

“The US report has not come up with anything new regarding Iran’s influence in the Arab countries as mentioned. However, it has shed light on details about the situation. The report has unveiled Iran’s plans,” the researcher said, adding that the details mentioned in the report will have a negative impact in the wake of protests against the Iranian regime in Iraq, Lebanon and even Iran itself.