Iran’s foreign minister arrived in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad on Sunday to discuss various issues related to political, trade and security issues, in an attempt to straighten relations with the government.
Ties between Baghdad and Tehran have been strained since the United States assassinated Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and deputy commander of the Iran-backed People’s Mobilization Forces (PMF) in January.
At a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein, Mohammad Javad Zarif emphasized his country’s belief in “maintaining Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and that a “stable and powerful” Iraq was of interest to both countries.
“That is why we hope to continue constructive bilateral negotiations. Stability, security and peace in Iraq is the stability of the entire region,” he said.
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For his part, Fuad Hussein said that his country hoped to continue its “balanced relations” with all the countries of the region “based first on our national interest, then on the mutual interest with our neighbors without interfering in our internal affairs.”
Iraqi security analyst Ahmad al-Abyad told Al Jazeera that Zarif’s visit, which occurs a day before Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi travels to Saudi Arabia, is not a coincidence.
“Zarif’s visit brought two messages,” he said. “One is a muffled warning to al-Kadhimi not to go ahead with attempts to shore up economic ties with the Gulf states, and the other is a mediation message to its regional rival Saudi Arabia.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif delivers a speech at a press conference in Baghdad [Murtadha al-Sudani/Anadolu via Getty Images]
Another Baghdad-based security analyst, who wanted to remain anonymous, told Al Jazeera that one of the main topics of discussion will be about the al-Munthiriya border crossing with Iran, which has long been used as a route smuggled into Lebanon and Syria in terms of weapons and fighters.
“The PMF used to have control of the border, but after a no-fly zone was imposed, it has become more difficult to smuggle weapons,” the analyst said, adding that the crossing is now under security forces. from Iraq and Counterterrorism Service (CTS).
The other topic of interest will be about preparations for the religious pilgrimage season known as Arbaeen, which takes place in the Iraqi holy city of Karbala within two months after the end of the 40-day mourning period for Ashoura.
However, regarding efforts to curb the PMF’s influence on the political and security front, the analyst said Zarif was not the right person to act as a buffer between the umbrella group and the Iraqi government.
“The PMF file is in the hands of the Revolutionary Guard, not the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” he said.
Sarmad al-Bayati, an Iraqi political analyst, said Zarif’s visit will focus more on bilateral relations between the two countries.
“The Iranian foreign minister did not come to Baghdad to discuss the PMF,” he said. “He is more likely to talk about the murder of Soleimani and al-Muhandis.”
PMF sphere of influence
Prime Minister al-Kadhimi has been a strong advocate of Iraq’s sovereignty and has annoyed armed groups inside Iraq affiliated with Iran, such as Kataib Hezbollah. At the end of last June, al-Khadimi ordered a raid on the Kataib Hezbollah offices in Baghdad, leading to the arrest of 14 fighters.
Kataib Hezbollah in turn and other armed groups within the PMF have accused al-Kadhimi of aiding the United States in their assassination of Soleimani and al-Muhandis, which has created a rift in the Prime Minister’s government.
The PMF, which is made up of dozens of mostly Shiite militias that are dominated by powerful factions taking their orders from Iran, enjoys political influence as it dominates dozens of seats in parliament through the coalitions of the Fatah Alliance and the Rule of law.
Incorporated within the Iraqi government in 2016 after the defeat of the armed group ISIL (ISIS), the PMF’s sphere of influence has only continued to grow.
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Critics point out that the Iranian-backed PMF has expanded its authority on the political, economic and security front. In 2019, it received $ 2.16 billion from the defense budget, yet it is Independent of any control or supervision by the Iraqi defense ministry.
“As for security, it controls the liberated areas that were previously under ISIS, which includes many border areas and land ports, “al-Abyad told Al Jazeera.
“Its control has extended inside and outside the cities and it has its own security and intelligence services. It has become a force that exceeds the capacity of the government, and runs parallel to the project of the Revolutionary Guard in Iran.”
The anonymous Baghdad-based security expert said the PMF and its proxied armed groups also “exert influence on the streets of Baghdad.”
“Whoever opposes them, politically, legally and ideologically, is assassinated, imprisoned or persecuted,” he said. “My good friend and colleague Hisham al-Hashemi was neither the first nor the last to be killed.”
Al-Hashemi, a well-known and senior security analyst, was shot dead by unknown gunmen outside his home in the capital earlier this month.
Following the government raid on Kataib Hezbollah’s offices last month, al-Hashemi provided his social media followers with information on allegations that the group was behind rocket attacks against the United States and other diplomatic interests in Iraq.
The group quickly released a statement on its Telegram channel denying responsibility for his murder.
“Activists and members of rights groups fear for their lives because they do not trust and cannot count on the Iraqi government to hold armed groups responsible for the targeted killings,” said the security expert.
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