Inside Iraq’s Shia-Iran Alignment and the Limits It Sets on U.S. Influence
Although U.S. influence in Iraq is growing through renewed energy investment and political leverage, Baghdad’s continued alignment with Tehran continues to complicate Washington’s strategic objectives. Photo courtesy of Iran international. The U.S. position in Iraq is improving. But Baghdad’s alignment with Tehran continues to complicate the relationship. Commercially, the picture is genuinely positive: ExxonMobil, Chevron, and BP have returned to Iraq on contract terms