War with ISIS Using 'Iranian Weapons'

Hadi al-Amiri, the commander of the Badr Brigade, an Iranian-backed Shia militia in Iraq, who is fighting alongside the Iraqi army to retake Tikrit from ISIS, praised Iran's role in the fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq on Friday. He stated that unlike Iran, which he claims is providing unconditional support, the U.S. has not adhered to its commitments in the fight against ISIS in Iraq. In an interview conducted at the front lines of the battle against ISIS near Tikrit, al-Amiri warned that Iraq should not jeopardize its national sovereignty for the sake of receiving weapons from the U.S. and accused the Iraqi government of taking orders from Washington. Besides commanding the Badr Brigade, al-Amiri is also the Secretary-General of the Badr Organization and Party in Iraq, which is supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Hussein Aryan, a military expert in the UK, commented on Iran's role in the fight against ISIS, stating that al-Amiri has lived in Iran for years and has close ties with the commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). He is responsible for the operations of the militias and the overall organization and execution of militia operations. Aryan emphasized that Iran's role, especially in the Tikrit operation, is crucial as it has played a significant part in organizing and forming a Popular Mobilization Force, or 'Hashd al-Shaabi,' with the positive opinion of Ayatollah Sistani. The militias were the spearhead of the Tikrit operation and are likely to play a vital role in upcoming operations in Mosul. In addition to organizing Shia militia forces in Iraq and sending military advisors, Iran can also provide weapons to these forces. Given that Iranian military weapons are effective and successful in producing light, medium, and even heavy weapons, it is evident that these arms and equipment will be supplied to the militias at the discretion of the Baghdad government, essentially sold for a profit. The Associated Press report also reflected al-Amiri's statements and cited an unnamed Iraqi government official confirming the sale of Iranian weapons to Iraq. According to this report, Iran has sold nearly ten billion dollars worth of weapons, mostly urban warfare equipment, including rifles, heavy machine guns, and missile launchers to the Iraqi government. Reports from Iraqi government officials indicate that approximately 30,000 Shia militia members, many of whom are volunteers, are currently fighting against ISIS in Iraq. Karim al-Nouri, a spokesman for the Shia forces referred to as the Popular Mobilization, stated that around 40 Iranian advisors are also present in the fight against ISIS. The international coalition forces led by the U.S. have conducted nearly two thousand airstrikes in Iraq over the past seven months. However, U.S. officials have stated regarding the Tikrit liberation operation that the U.S. did not participate in the liberation of Tikrit because the Iraqi government did not request it.