Iran’s Quds Force objectives in taking part in Iraqi religious ceremonies

November 2015

The Iranian regime has launched widespread propaganda to take part in an upcoming major religious event in Iraq, known as Arbaeen*, and is attempting to decrease visa restrictions for Iranian pilgrims and claim its own followers will be taking part in millions. However, due to the limitations imposed by the Iraqi government Tehran will not be permitted to send high numbers of pilgrims to Iraq. The number of these pilgrims are very important for Tehran as it intends to portray this image to its domestic correspondents in Iraq and also the United States that it continues to control the initiative in Iraq, both militarily and socially. The numbers provided by the Iranian regime regarding these pilgrims are 1 to 1.5 million, and this year it is pursuing different objectives alongside the Arbaeen ceremony in Iraq.

Internal divides amongst Iran’s ruling powers (Rouhani and Revolutionary Guards)

November 2015

A serious divide amongst the Iranian regime’s different power factions has formed following the July nuclear agreement signed between the P5+1 and Iran known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). On one side are Iranian regime president Hassan Rouhani and his mentor Hashemi Rafsanjani, chair of the regime’s Expediency Council, are bent on fully implementing the nuclear agreement. This faction believes the country is in serious danger and if they don’t implement the nuclear deal their entire rule will face a growing social rebellion. Through this argument they were able to convince the regime’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei to support their policies.

Enjoying support from Iran’s Quds Force, former Iraq premier targets successor

November 2015

These days Iran views the Prime Ministry of Mr. Haider al-Abadi as in contrast with its interests in Iraq. In this regard Tehran has dispatched its proxy, former Iraqi premier Nouri al-Maliki, to take on Mr. al-Abadi.

Militia and Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq fleeing to European countries under the pretext of refugees

November, 2015

In addition to problems regarding paychecks and living conditions of militias and members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq, their heavy casualties in various battlefields have caused a major wave of troops, and even commanders, deserting their units. According to various militia members their motivation in showing up at the front lines was to occupy lands and plunder the population’s wealth in order to make a living. Currently militia units no longer enjoy the ability to plunder items and transfer them back out of the battlefields using large trucks, as they did in the Tikrit and Salahadin operations.

Iran’s military presence in Syria

October 2015

We have been witnessing reports of more Iranian military personnel, linked to the Quds Force, being killed in Syria in unprecedented numbers. On October 15^th Agence France Presse reported of thousands of Iranian troops arriving at a military airport in the coastal province of Latakia in Syria. Ala’din Borujerdi, chair of Iran’s parliament national security and foreign policy commission said, “If Syria requests for (troops), we will take this request into consideration and make a decision.” Furthermore, on October 14^th al-Arabiya TV reported thousands of Iranian soldiers entering Syria in order to support Syrian regime troops attack opposition forces, and these operations will enjoy air support provided by Russian bombers.

Iraqi militias raise tone against America following US special forces attack in al-Hawija against ISIS

October 2015

On October 25^th and 26^th Iraqi Shiite militias escalated their tone against America following US special forces attack on an ISIS prison in the al-Hawija area located southwest of the oil-rich city of Kirkuk. The question is what motive lies behind such hostile remarks by Quds Force-lined Iraqi Shiite groups against the US?