Iran’s Proxies Authorized to Compete in Iraq’s 2018 Election
Thursday, November 9, 2017 – By: Omer Kassim – Institute for the study of war – I ran’s proxies in Iraq have a green light to parlay their military gains into political power in Iraq’s May 2018 elections.Iranian proxies dominate Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). The Iranian proxy-dominated PMF institution has expanded its reach and popularity through a heavy involvement in recent operations against ISIS and Iraqi Kurdistan. The Iraqi government’s Popular Mobilization Commission Law prohibits individuals associated with the PMF from running for political office unless they leave the force. The law is an attempt to constrain the political influence of Iran’s powerful military proxies. Yet those Iranian proxies are shifting members into new political parties and setting conditions to extend their influence in the forthcoming Iraqi elections.