As Operation Decisive Storm got underway, Iranian outlets, analysts, and elites all prepared to frame the conflict between the Shiite Houthis in Yemen and the 10-member coalition as part of the larger Saudi-Iranian cold war. Such zero-sum statements indicate that any set-back for the coalition will be a win for Iran.
A Human Rights Watch report says that the militias looted, burned thousands of buildings, and abducted at least 11 people during the Amerli offensive last summer. “The widespread burning of civilian homes by the militia groups in areas under their control appeared to have had no clear military objective and to represent collective punishment against residents of local Sunni villages,” HRW stated.
Shiite militias closely linked to Iran and Qods Force commander Qassem Suleimani have taken control of key towns surrounding the central Iraqi city.
Massive columns of Shiite militas, including some groups that are listed by the US as Foreign Terrorist Organizations, have been leading the fight in Tikrit. Qods Force commander Qassem Soleimani has been spotted at the front lines.
Political and Military elites of the Islamic Republic weigh-in on the death of Brigadier General Mohammad-Ali Allah-Dadi, the IRGC-QF member killed in Syria by an Israeli helicopter attack.Their commentary indicates a desire to establish deterrence, at least rhetorically, and tout their globalist message pertaining to the Islamic Revolution.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps confirmed that Brigadier General Mohammad Ali Allah-Dadi was killed in an airstrike in Syria. He was assigned to help Hezbollah and Syria battle jihadist groups.
Iran eclipses US as Iraq’s ally in fight against militants
Brigadier General Hamid Taqavi served as an “adviser to the [Iraqi] Army and the popular mobilization of the Iraqi people,” a reference to the Shiite militias.
Hamas caused prolonged war: Abbas
Iran Says It Downed Israeli Drone over Nuclear Site
Herat’s chief of police accused Iran of supporting the Taliban’s killing spree in the province, which included the murder of two Finnish aid workers.
As the war in Gaza continues, Iran’s political, military, and religious calculations ascribe similar but not identical values to the ongoing conflict. The ways in which Iranian leaders codify events on the ground vary depending on their interests at home and abroad.
Iranian Commanders on Front Line of Iraq’s Fight
Underage fighters sacrificing childhoods to wage war in Iraq and Syria
As Iraq plummets further into chaos, and the United States incrementally but cautiously steps forward, Iranian officials have been busy forming and casting narratives
about the crisis facing their next-door neighbor.
Enigmatic Iranian military man at center of UN nuclear investigation
Recent statements by Iranian political and religious leaders suggest that Iran’s keen interest in the current Iraqi crisis could lead it to intervene in some fashion.
Sentiments expressed recently on an online forum about the allegiances of Hezbollah run deeper than Lebanon, offering insight into Iranian strategic thinking about the Levant and the Middle East.
Iran’s liberal media continue decline under Rouhani
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Qassem Suleimani, the Middle East’s Most Powerful Operative
Videos show Iranian officers supervising Syrian soldiers
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As Rebels Lose Ground in Syria, US Mulls Options
Analysis: Hezbollah’s Syria victory risks wider Sunni-Shi’ite conflict
Hassan Shateri, who was recently killed in Syria, served as a senior official in the IRGC. He also had close ties with Hezbollah, a group he greatly aided during his time in Lebanon.
Shateri: Iran’s Regional Point Man
Influx of Iraqi Shiites to Syria Widens War’s Scope
The Corner Where Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan Meet
Qassim Suleimani, Iran’s Master of Iraq Chaos, Still Vexes the US