"The 2003 Iraqi war resulted in a strategic shift in the relationship between Baghdad and Tehran by turning Iraq into a vassal state of Iran. Iran’s long-term strategy has been to export its Islamic revolution to transform enemies across the Middle East. The post-war security vacuum in Iraq facilitated this tactic, essentially a creeping invasion of Iraq in a gradual, sophisticated manner. Iran’s strategy goes beyond simply sponsoring militias; rather, it also encompasses religious, economic, ideological, and political dimensions.
Religiously, Iran has imposed its own brand of Shi`ism on Iraqi Shi`a. While friendly to Baghdad, Tehran also sparked socio-economic problems by sporadically cutting gas and water supplies to its neighbor. Politically, Iran extended its grip on the Iraqi government to such an extent that it became the hidden decision maker behind Iraq’s internal and external policies. In this sense, Iraq is a case study to gauge Iran’s expansionist policies elsewhere."
*The opinions expressed in MDC publications are the authors’ alone.