Challenges to Iran's role in Iraq in the post-Soleimani era : complex rivalries, fragmented alliances, declining soft power

Zusammenfassung: On January 3, 2020, the Iranian Quds Force commander, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, was assassinated by the United States in Iraq. He was considered the mastermind behind Iran’s regional strategy, especially in Syria and Iraq. A year and a half later, the Islamic Republic continues to wield considerable influence in Iraq, and Iran-backed militias continue to violently pressure US forces to leave Iraq. However, Iran now faces a series of serious challenges that are directly and indirectly related to Soleimani's death. In the geopolitical and economic spheres, the influence of Iran’s rivals in Iraq has increased, while Tehran’s room for maneuver has become increasingly limited. In the political arena, divisions among Iran-backed forces in Iraq have increased, while Iran’s direct influence over the Iraqi government has been declining. At the same time, rising anti-Iranian sentiments among the Iraqi people have reduced Iran’s social capital in the neighboring country. The combination of these factors seems to be limiting Iran’s influence in Iraq. The EU should build upon this opportunity to sup­port a strong Iraqi government that pursues a multi-vector foreign policy

Location
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
Extent
1 Online-Ressource (8 Seiten)
Language
Englisch
Notes
Gesehen am 22.07.2021

Bibliographic citation
SWP comment ; 2021, no. 44 (July 2021)
SWP comment ; 2021, no. 44 (July 2021)

Classification
Politik
Keyword
Militärische Kooperation
Soft Power
Miliz
Geopolitik
Politischer Prozess
Regionalentwicklung
Iran
Irak

Event
Veröffentlichung
(where)
Berlin
(who)
SWP
(when)
[July 2021]
Creator
Contributor

DOI
10.18449/2021C44
URN
urn:nbn:de:101:1-2023062209354242191993
Rights
Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
Last update
14.08.2025, 10:58 AM CEST

Data provider

This object is provided by:
Deutsche Nationalbibliothek. If you have any questions about the object, please contact the data provider.

Associated

Time of origin

  • [July 2021]

Other Objects (12)