Iran calls on allied Iraqi factions to cease attacks on US targets until Trump is gone

Islam News- Middel East Eye (MEE) reported, Quds force leader Ismail Qaani, one of Iran’s top generals was dispatched to Baghdad as Tehran fears Donald Trump would wage a war in the Middle East.

Iran dispatched Qaani to Baghdad last week in purpose to tell the allied Iraqi factions to cease attacks until Trump is gone and Biden comes, as paramilitary commanders told Middle East Eye.

Arriving 24 hours after a barrage of rockets targeted the US embassy in Baghdad, Brigadier General Ismail Qaani was explicit in his instructions to paramilitary leaders on Wednesday.

“Qaani made it clear that Trump wants to drag the region into an open war before leaving, to take revenge on his opponents over losing the election, and it is not in our interest to give him any justification to start such a war,” a senior commander of a Shia armed faction, who was among those briefed about what was said at the meeting, told MEE.

As a temperament President, Trump has become more unpredictable and could lash out at Iran before he loses his power on 20 January.

Iran’s armed proxies in Iraq have for months rained rockets down on US targets in the country. Deciding the Iraqi arena needed a moment of calm, Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei ordered Iran-backed factions to call a unilateral ceasefire, declared on 11 October.

However, on Tuesday a fresh volley of at least seven BM-21 rockets hit the Iraqi capital’s Green Zone.

The attack killed a child and wounded a further five civilians, and damaged a number of government buildings and private properties, Iraqi security sources said. It also ramped up tensions once again.

The next day, Qaani, arrived to Baghdad to “personally supervise” the commanders of Iranian-backed Shia armed factions their commitment to the truce, as three commanders said to MEE.

Qaani, who also visited Lebanon, met Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and held several meetings during his visit; the most prominent one was on Wednesday evening attended by representatives of the most prominent armed Shia factions.

Qaani warned that a conflict with US forces could quickly move beyond Iraq.

“If war breaks out between Iran and America, its repercussions cannot be contained, and Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iran will all be a battleground for both sides,” the senior commander briefed on the meeting quoted Qaani as saying.

Therefore, all attacks on US targets should be ceased in favor for the higher interest.

Another meeting was held with Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. A prominent Hashd al-Shaabi commander told MEE that this part of Qaani’s visit “was aimed at confirming the Iranian side’s continued support for the Iraqi government.”

However, Kadhimi’s team has another opinion.

“They see that the American mobilisation near the Strait of Hormuz is targeting them, and that Trump seeks to create chaos and fabricate a war with Iran before leaving the White House,” a key adviser of Kadhimi told MEE.

According to Kadhimi’s advisor, the Iranians are preparing the ground for negotiations; hence Iran’s expectations are high with Biden’s presidency.