Ismael Qaani Back in Iraq Again… What Are the Objectives of the Visit?
A knowledgeable political source revealed that General Ismael Qaani, the commander of the Quds Force in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, has once again arrived in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, to discuss two important matters with the Iraqi government and political leaders.
The source told the “Shafaq News” agency: ” Ismael Qaani will discuss with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani and the leaders of the coordinating framework the recent Iraqi-American negotiations related to foreign presence on Iraqi soil,” following a visit by an Iraqi military delegation including the Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs to the United States to discuss the same issue.
The second matter, as outlined by the source, is “the political matter related to electoral alliances, and emphasizing the unity and cohesion of the coordinating framework following the emergence of the results of the provincial council elections.”
In previous statements, political and parliamentary sources from the united coordinating framework of Shiite forces, excluding the Sadr faction, revealed to the same agency that the framework will enter the central and southern provinces of Iraq with multiple lists, and in the mixed provinces and cities with either a unified list or two lists or (3).
The timing of Ismael Qaani’s visit to Baghdad reflects Iranian concerns that the disputes between some of the coordinating framework forces, which are no longer concealed, might affect the cohesion of the framework that serves as the political cover for Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani. Tehran also seeks to learn about the results of the visit and discussions of the Iraqi military delegation with American officials.
Al-Sudani had stated the day before yesterday that Iraq does not need the presence of foreign combat forces on its soil, a demand that Iran consistently echoes, while it casts doubt on the tasks of the US forces present in Iraq, considering them to be training and advisory tasks.
