Less than a month after sanctioning four Iran-backed militias in Iraq, Washington imposed a new wave of sanctions that targeted Iraqi officials and state institutions accused of laundering money for Tehran’s government.

Iraq's parliamentary elections come amid a notable decline in Iran’s regional influence, an absence of security unrest in Sunni cities, the unprecedented boycott by the Sadrist movement since 2005, and the exclusive adoption of biometric voting cards.

Baghdad’s ability to resist Iranian pressure is under scrutiny after reports that a senior Iraqi official rejected a request to channel money to Hezbollah via Syria, leaving open the question of whether the cash could yet reach Lebanon.

For the first time since taking office in 2022, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani’s visit to Oman has raised eyebrows, coming just as speculation mounts over possible Israeli Occupation attacks on Iraq and war on Iran.

The U.S. Department of State has appointed Joshua Harris as its new chargé d’affaires in Baghdad at a sensitive time, as Washington begins withdrawing troops from Iraq while pressing the Iraqi government to dismantle the Popular Mobilization Forces and curb Iran’s influence.