Iran was monitoring Iraq’s parliamentary elections closely, as polls featured a strong showing for Shiite-majority coalitions aligned with Tehran and Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani’s bloc emerged as the front-runner.
Tehran issued congratulatory messages. The celebratory tone stems in part from Mr Al Sudani’s political alliances with figures tied to the Popular Mobilisation Forces.
Yet this optimism has been tempered by growing concerns in Tehran about Baghdad’s push to integrate parts of the PMF into the Iraqi military or curb their autonomy. Such reforms could weaken Tehran’s most reliable allied force at a time when its broader Axis of Resistance network is under strain.
Iraq sits uncomfortably between two powerful rivals. The US wants the influence of militia groups curtailed to limit Iran’s reach, while Tehran views those same groups as a protective barrier against pressure from Washington and Israel. Iraq maintains close ties with both sides, hosting US forces at military bases while sustaining security and trade links with Iran.
Mr Al Sudani's Reconstruction and Development Coalition won the highest number of votes in the elections. The Iran-backed Co-ordination Framework has said it would form a majority bloc. Pro-Iranian Shiite blocs – such as Nouri Al Maliki’s State of Law Coalition and Hadi Al Amiri’s Fatah Alliance – together command more than 170 parliamen
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