Critics of the Iranian role in Iraq say that Iran is embracing and supporting Shiite parties involved in corruption issues and that they have failed to manage the Iraqi government since 2003. In addition, they say that Iran is dealing with Iraq based on the sectarian divide rooted in the post-2003 period, which reinforces the sectarian rift among constituents of one people.
Ahmad Abdul Hussein, a leader of the civil protests supporting the Sadrist Movement, wrote in a Facebook post, “Iran’s insistence on embracing corrupt thugs and thieves, desperately defending them, assisting them during crises and covering up for their disastrous corruption and failure will drive Iraqis to hate Iran, in case it continues to sponsor these thugs.”
In this regard, the champions of the Iranian role in Iraq believe that Iran has provided Iraq with substantial assistance in its war against terrorism, particularly the fight against the Islamic State (IS), in the past two years.
These champions are present within the ranks of Shiite political and military organizations that were founded by Iran and receive direct financial aid, as well as political and administrative support from the Iranians such as the Badr Organization, led by Hadi al-Amiri. Those criticizing Iran consist of Iraqi Shiite groups such as the Sadrist Movement.
Nevertheless, observers have become aware that the Iranian aid to Iraq serves in the first place the Iranian security and economic interests, and does not consist of free grants offered by Iran to its neighbor.
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