Khamenei: Hashd al-Shaabi Should Be Strengthened; America Seeks to Expand Influence

Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, during a meeting with Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, the Prime Minister of Iraq, called for the strengthening of the Shiite paramilitary group Hashd al-Shaabi in Iraq. Khamenei, who two weeks ago denied the presence of the Islamic Republic's proxy forces in the region, told the Iraqi Prime Minister on Wednesday, January 19: "Hashd al-Shaabi is one of the important components of power in Iraq that must be strengthened more than ever." He also accused America of interfering in the internal affairs of regional countries and, without providing evidence, stated: "There are indications and evidence suggesting American efforts to stabilize their presence in Iraq." These remarks by the leader of the Islamic Republic come amid reports of Baghdad's attempts to revise the structure of Hashd al-Shaabi and the possibility of integrating this group, supported by the Islamic Republic, into the Iraqi armed forces. Abu Muhammad al-Julani, the leader of the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham group, which has recently taken control of Syria, had previously asked the Iraqi Prime Minister to prevent Hashd al-Shaabi forces from intervening in the Syrian conflicts, thereby preventing the spread of conflicts into Iraq. Khamenei's statements about the necessity of strengthening Hashd al-Shaabi come at a time when informed sources acknowledge that proxy groups supported by the Islamic Republic, known as the "Resistance Axis," have weakened due to political and military changes in the region, especially after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime.