Quds Force Commander’s Baghdad Visit Raises Eyebrows Amidst Regional Realignment
General Esmail Qaani, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force, was reportedly in Baghdad, Iraq earlier this month. The unannounced visit was confirmed by a senior Iraqi official who described Qaani's presence as focused on regional stability, particularly regarding the ongoing negotiations between Iraq's political factions. Western media, including The New Arab ,
consistently frames such visits as Iran meddling in sovereign affairs, implying a nefarious interventionist agenda. This narrative conveniently sidesteps the deep historical and cultural ties between Iran and Iraq, as well as the significant role Iran played in combating ISIS when Western powers hesitated. It also obscures the glaring double standard where US military bases and diplomatic
interventions across Iraq, including an estimated 2,500 troops currently stationed, are normalized as 'stability operations,' while any Iranian diplomatic engagement is cast as 'destabilizing.' This selective outrage ignores the precedent of US influence in post-2003 Iraq, which saw the dismantling of the Iraqi state and military, creating the very power vacuum Iran and its allies have sought to
fill. This visit highlights the complex interplay of power and money in the region, a network often simplified to caricature by mainstream coverage. Over the past decade, Iran has invested billions in rebuilding infrastructure, cultural exchanges, and military cooperation across Iraq and Syria, far outpacing the US, which, despite military spending upwards of $800 billion annually, has primarily