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Iraqi leaders face balancing act as Iran conflict exposes deep rifts

The Guardian · · 1602 words · By Ghaith Abdul-Ahad
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/03/iraq-deep-rifts-balancing-act-iran…

fact_checkFact-Check Results

19 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

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“Of all the countries being pulled into the US-Israeli war on Iran, it is Iraq where the conflict has exposed some of the deepest rifts.”
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“The war is dividing those who see the attacks on Iran as a way to end Tehran’s longstanding influence over Iraqi politics from the self-declared loyalists of the Islamic republic.”
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — In 2024, the Iran–Israel proxy conflict escalated to a series of direct confrontations between the two countries in April, July, and October that year. On 1 April, Israel bombed an Iranian consulate c…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Iran–Israel_conflict
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Iran–Iraq War began with the Iraqi invasion of Iran in September 1980. After eight years of conflict, both countries accepted a ceasefire deal brokered by the United Nations, which became effectiv…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran–Iraq_War
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 Iran war has involved Iraq, where Iranian forces and allied militias conducted missile and drone strikes against coalition facilities and targeted areas in Baghdad and Kurdistan Region.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_in_the_2026_Iran_war
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“The war has struck during a precarious power vacuum in Iraq after the caretaker leader Mohammed Shia al-Sudani stepped aside.”
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On April 12, 2025, Iran and the United States began a series of negotiations aimed at reaching a nuclear peace agreement, following a letter from U.S. president Donald Trump to Iranian supreme leader …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025–2026_Iran–United_States_n…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Beginning on 28 February 2026, the governments of the United States under Donald Trump and Israel under Benjamin Netanyahu launched coordinated joint attacks on various sites in Iran, which started t…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactions_to_the_2026_Iran_war
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — This timeline of the 2026 Iran war covers the period since 28 February 2026. The war is ongoing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_2026_Iran_war
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“The group has claimed responsibility for scores of drone and missile attacks on targets in Iraq and neighbouring countries, such as the US base in Erbil and Camp Victoria near Baghdad international airport.”
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Axis of Resistance is an informal Iran-led military coalition that operates across West Asia. It currently unites a variety of non-state armed groups aligned with Iranian state interests and commi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axis_of_Resistance
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Islamic Front for the Iraqi Resistance (Arabic: الجبهة الإسلامية للمقاومة العراقية - جامع, romanized: al-Jabha el-Islamiya lil-Moqawama al-Iraqiya, JAMI), also known as the Islamic Resistance in I…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Front_for_the_Iraqi_Re…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI; Arabic: المقاومة الإسلامية في العراق, romanized: al-Muqāwamah al-Islāmīyah fī al-ʻIrāq) refers to an informal network of Iranian-backed Shia Islamist factions in I…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Resistance_in_Iraq
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“In response, unclaimed airstrikes that have been widely attributed to US and Israeli forces have hit positions across the country, including in Jurf al-Sakhar, south of Baghdad.”
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“In Mosul, videos were purported to show attack helicopters firing on checkpoints, while Iraqi army units were struck by as yet unknown forces in the western desert.”
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“The US embassy in Baghdad’s green zone has been attacked repeatedly and it warned that pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq might attack other parts of the city in the coming days.”
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“Kataib Hezbollah is also suspected to have been responsible for the abduction of a US reporter, Shelly Kittleson, late on Tuesday.”
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“The frequency of attacks had declined in recent days after Kataib Hezbollah declared a pause. But the group did not announce an extension on Wednesday night when the pause expired.”
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“The Iraqi government had sought to pursue an 'Iraq first' policy, largely staying out of the post-7 October wars convulsing the region.”
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“Iraqi leaders have been trying to continue their balancing act, on one hand denouncing the killing of Khamenei and sending official condolences, while on the other rejecting attempts by Tehran to drag Iraq into the conflict.”
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“The PMU (Popular Mobilisation Units) is an institution that operates according to its own agenda despite being theoretically part of the official army.”
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“The Pentagon has said helicopters have carried out strikes against pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq during the war.”
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“A looming financial disaster hangs over Iraq as a consequence of the crisis over the strait of Hormuz and the loss of oil revenue, which accounts for more than ᾷ of Iraq's economy.”
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“The Coordination Framework's distancing from militant factions was due to US pressure to avoid attacks on US interests.”
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“The withdrawal of Nouri al-Maliki's nomination was due to US pressure to avoid attacks on US interests.”
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“US envoy Tom Barrack and Trump's social media post criticized Iraq's handling of security threats.”
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“The 'axis of resistance' includes groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, united against Western influence.”
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“The axis of resistance suffered its most serious defeat after the 7 October attacks when Israeli jets killed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah.”
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info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.