Iran Is Losing Its Influence Over Lebanon And Iraq

Ongoing anti-government protests in Baghdad, Iraq, November 7. Alaa al-Marjani / Reuters

Con Coughlin, The National: Tehran finds itself in a desperate battle to maintain its influence over Lebanon and Iraq

Throughout the Arab world there is a growing resistance to Iran’s attempts to meddle in their affairs.

For all Iran’s efforts to establish a powerful network of allies throughout the Middle East, Tehran’s attempts to achieve its long-held goal of regional domination are currently experiencing their most severe challenge in years as a result of the anti-government protests that are taking place in Lebanon and Iraq.

A definitive report published in London this week by the influential International Institute for Strategic Studies think tank sets out in detail how Iran has spent decades building what it calls “networks of influence” throughout the Middle East in an attempt to gain an advantage over its many adversaries.

But while the IISS’s report, “Iran’s Networks of Influence in the Middle East”, provides worrying detail about the extent of Iran’s malign meddling in the affairs of neighbouring Arab states, Tehran now finds itself in a desperate battle to maintain its influence over Lebanon and Iraq, countries which, until the recent wave of anti-government protests erupted, were key targets for Iranian attempts to consolidate its grip over vital areas of the Middle East.

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WNU Editor: This could get very bloody .... A New Arab Spring Is Unfolding in Iraq and Lebanon. But Things Could Get Bloody If Iran Gets Its Way (Bessma Momani, Time).

U.S. Special Envoy For Iran: Iran Has Spent $16 Billion To Fund Militias In Syria And Iraq

Brian Hook, the U.S. special representative for Iran

RFE: U.S. Envoy Says Iran Has Spent $16 Billion To Fund Militias In Syria, Iraq

Brian Hook, the U.S. special envoy for Iran, says Tehran has spent some $16 billion to fund Shi’ite-led militias in Syria and Iraq.

Hook made the comments in an interview broadcast on October 31 by Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya but did not specify what period of time he was citing.

Shi'ite Iran has wielded influence in Iraq since dictator Saddam Hussein's ouster following a 2003 U.S.-led invasion, and it backs powerful Shi'ite militias in the country, including Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, often in conflict with the country’s Sunni minority.

Washington still provides Baghdad with military, political, and financial aid, and Iraq has attempted to balance its ties to both the United States and neighboring Iran.

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Update #1: US envoy: Iran has spent $16 billion on militias in Iraq, Syria (Times of Israel)
Update #2: U.S. envoy for Iran says Tehran spent $16 billion on 'militias' in Iraq, Syria: Al Arabiya (Reuters)

WNU Editor: This is not working for Iran in places like Iraq .... Exclusive: Iran intervenes to prevent ousting of Iraqi prime minister - sources (Reuters). And I am willing to bet that Iran is not going to foot any of that $250 billion reconstruction bill for Syria.

Iran Is Determined To Have A Land Corridor To Beirut

The Guardian: From Tehran to Beirut: Shia militias aim to firm up Iran's arc of influence

Iranian plans to secure ground routes across Iraq and Syria and being shored up by proxies driving Isis from the region

The town of Ba’aj is deserted and broken. Its streets are blocked by overturned cars, its shops are shuttered and the iron gates of its ravaged homes groan in a scorching wind.

Amid the wreckage, though, are the signs of new arrivals – forces who less than a week earlier chased Islamic State (Isis) from one of its most important territories in northern Iraq.

Spraying graffiti and planting their battle colours, they have wasted little time in staking their claim to a place that had mattered little in the sweep of Iraq’s modern history, but which is set to be pivotal from this moment on.

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WNU Editor: The impression that I had from reading this article is that Iran is not only determined to have a "highway" that it controls which will enable it to reach Beirut and the Mediterranean .... but to also expel/drive out the Sunni populations along this route. If this is the case (and I am hoping that I am wrong) .... this is not going to end the war ... on the contrary .... it will only breed the next one.

The Middle Eastern Alliance Against Iran Involves Israel

Reuters: Saudi Arabia, Israel present de facto united front against Iran

Saudi Arabia and Israel both called on Sunday for a new push against Iran, signaling a growing alignment in their interests, while U.S. lawmakers promised to seek new sanctions on the Shi'ite Muslim power.

Turkey also joined the de facto united front against Tehran as Saudi and Israeli ministers rejected an appeal from Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif for Sunni Gulf Arab states to work with Tehran to reduce violence across the region.

While Saudi Arabia remains historically at odds with Israel, their ministers demanded at the Munich Security Conference that Tehran be punished for propping up the Syrian government, developing ballistic missiles and funding separatists in Yemen.

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WNU Editor: This evolving Middle Eastern alliance against Iran is a story that is being under-reported in the West .... especially as the wars in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen continue. And now Turkey is getting involved .... Iran and Turkey trade barbs over Syria and Iraq (Al Jazeera). More here .... Iran says Turkey better not to test Tehran's patience (Tehran Times).

Iran Threatens To Intervene In Yemen And Bahrain

Brigadier General Hossein Salami, the IRGC’s second-in-command (Photo by Tasnim news agency)

Al Arabiya: Iran: After Aleppo, we will intervene in Bahrain, Yemen

The leaders of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards launched provocative statements against the Gulf states threatening to intervene in Bahrain and Yemen.

The comments were reported by Iranian media after what they described as a “victory in Aleppo,” upon the massacres, starvation and displacement against civilians. Aleppo was considered as one of the strongholds of the opposition; however, the Syrian regime took a hold of it with the help and support of Iranian and Russian military troops.

In this context, the deputy commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Gen. Hossein Salami told the official Iranian news agency Islamic Republic News Agency that “The victory in Aleppo will pave the way for liberating Bahrain,” pointing out that Iran has an expansion project that will extend to Bahrain, Yemen and Mosul after the fall of the Syrian city of Aleppo.

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WNU Editor: Al Arabiya is a Saudi owned service, and they are reacting to this Iranian report .... Aleppo liberation shattered power of global arrogance: Iran commander (Press TV)