Despite strong ties, Iran bypasses Iraq for key nuclear talks with the U.S., favoring Oman's neutral role.

Lavrov's Tehran visit centered on Iran’s nuclear talks, Syria’s stability, and Russia’s regional balancing.

Syrians in Iraq face a smear campaign by Iran-backed Shiite militias, accused as security threats, with some arrested for alleged terrorist ties.

Iran has emerged as the biggest loser in the Middle East following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, signaling the collapse of its influence that it had built over more than a decade.

The new Syrian administration swiftly suppressed sectarian unrest, attributing it to Iranian influence and remnants of al-Assad's regime.