Abstract:
This essay analyzes the unprecedented strategic shift in the Iran-Iraq relationship, which has transformed Iraq into a quasi-vassal state of Iran. It argues that Iran’s long-term goal has been to revive Ayatollah Khomeini’s vision of exporting the Islamic Revolution to its former adversary and beyond, while also taking revenge for the “poisoned chalice” he was forced to accept at the end of the Iran-Iraq War. Instead of deploying troops to engage its weakened neighbor directly, Iran has pursued its objective through a calculated, gradual strategy of encroachment across religious, cultural, economic, ideological, political, and security domains. In this sense, Iraq serves as a case study for examining Iran's broader expansionist ambitions throughout the Middle East and beyond.
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