Tehran shifts military 'burden' to Iraqi militias after blows in region: Israeli media

Tehran's support for Iranian-backed militias in Iraq has recently increased, with a focus on more advanced weapons, as Iran aims to shift the burden to these militias following setbacks faced by the pro-Iranian axis in Lebanon, Syria and Gaza, Israel's public broadcaster Kan reported on Tuesday, citing Iraqi sources familiar with the matter.

According to the Israeli public broadcaster Kan, Iran is supplying Iraqi militias with weapons as part of preparations for a possible future conflict with Israel. "Iran is preparing its representatives in Iraq for action against Israel in the event of a renewed conflict," the Iraqi sources said.

While Iraqi militias have launched several attacks against Israel since the Gaza war began in October 2023, they remained on the sidelines during the Iran-Israel war in June this year.

According to the Israeli broadcaster, Iraqi officials say that while the militias are very afraid of Israeli and American attacks, they are still currently "stronger than the Iraqi Army and listen mainly to those who arm and train them — the Iranian al-Quds Force — and less to the Iraqi Prime Minister, Muhammad al-Sudani."

Parliamentary elections will take place in Iraq on Nov. 11. Regarding the elections, Kan reported that "it is highly doubtful" whether the results will influence the concentration of weapons in the hands of the Iraqi state.

Esmail Qaani, the commander of Iran's Quds Force, made a discreet visit to Baghdad last month.

The purpose of the trip, which occurred during the campaign for the Iraqi parliamentary election, was to prevent the Iraqi Coordination Framework — a coalition of pro-Iranian Shiite factions that helped the government rise to power — from fragmenting.

On the same day as Qaani's visit to Baghdad, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the Iraqi Prime Minister to reaffirm "the urgency of disarming militias supported by Iran."