What Are Iranian Commanders Doing in Iraq?

Reuters reports on the influence of Iranian military forces in Iraq and their role in combating the Islamic State (ISIS), stating that the connection between Tehran, Baghdad, and Iraqi militia forces will significantly impact Iraq's future. According to Reuters, several billboards in central Baghdad depict a man who appears to be a military commander from Iran. These billboards, recently installed, reflect Iran's current influence in Baghdad. Most citizens of Iraq are Arabs. Iraqi citizens, both Shia and Sunni, have historically had little trust in their Persian neighbor to the east. However, as Baghdad exerts all efforts to combat the Sunni extremist group ISIS, Iran, which has a Shia religious system, has become Iraq's main ally. Meanwhile, Iraqi Shias, since the mass retreat of their army against ISIS, have increasingly relied on Iranian-backed Shia militia groups. Dozens of militia groups have gathered under a clandestine branch of the Iraqi government known as the Popular Mobilization Committee (Hashd al-Shaabi). This group was first established by Haider al-Abadi and is now at the forefront of Baghdad's security operations. So far, little information has been published about the body of the Popular Mobilization Committee; however, key Iraqi figures within this organization have explained to Reuters how Iran collaborates with this militia group. According to these individuals, 'Iranian military advisors operate both within the group and at the front lines.' Two of those who agreed to speak with Reuters are senior members of the Badr Organization, which may be the most powerful Shia militia group among the members of Hashd al-Shaabi. One individual also agreed to speak from the Saraya al-Khorasani group. Members of these Shia groups say that most of them took up arms at the behest of Ayatollah Ali Sistani but also reference Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has influenced their decision to fight—and as they put it—'defend Iraq.' Hadi al-Amiri, the leader of the Badr Organization, told Reuters, 'The majority of us believe that... Khamenei has all the conditions of an Islamic leader. He is not only the leader of the Iranians but the leader of the entire Islamic Ummah. I believe in this and take pride in it.' Amiri emphasizes that his role as a political and military leader in Iraq and his loyalty to Khamenei are not contradictory: 'Khamenei places the interests of the people of Iraq above all else.' The command of Hashd al-Shaabi is held by Jamal Jafar Muhammad, known by the nom de guerre Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Abu Mahdi is a former commander of Badr and has a history that includes an assassination attempt on Saddam Hussein and, according to American officials, a bombing at the US embassy in Kuwait in 1983. Iraqi officials consider Abu Mahdi to be the right-hand man of Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force. Some fighters from the Shia groups believe that Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis is 'the commander of all forces' and 'someone whose word carries significant weight.' The organization under Abu Mahdi's command coordinates everything 'from logistics to combat operations' in the fight against ISIS. Members of this organization state that the close friendship between Soleimani, Amiri, and Abu Mahdi has increased effective coordination among the forces. This small circle has known each other for over 20 years and, according to Moein Kazemi, a leader of the Badr Organization, has played a fundamental role in organizing Hashd al-Shaabi: '[This friendship] has significantly aided the organization of Hashd al-Shaabi and created a force that achieves victories that 250,000 Iraqi soldiers and 60,000 Ministry of Interior police cannot manage.' Kazemi discusses Soleimani's role in this collaboration: 'He participates in the command center of operations from the beginning of the attack to the end, and after the operations are completed, he visits the wounded in the hospital.' Iraqi and Kurdish officials estimate the number of Iranian advisors in Iraq to be 'between 100 and several hundred,' a figure much lower than the nearly 3,000 American officers stationed in Iraq who are responsible for training the country's forces. Iraqi officials say the reason for Tehran's involvement in the fight against ISIS is Iran's determination to defend the sacred Shia sites in Iraq. Haider al-Abadi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, has acknowledged that Iran 'has provided weapons and ammunition to Iraqi forces and volunteer militias from the very first days.' According to Kurdish officials, this assistance has not been limited to sending weapons but has also included troop deployments. Kazemi confirms that Iranian military advisors in Iraq have provided 'everything from combat tactics to military equipment and from drones to electronic surveillance and radio communications' to the Iraqi militia forces. According to this Badr Organization commander, 'The Americans have been with the Iraqi army all these years and never taught them how to use drones or how to conduct complex communications or eavesdrop on enemy communications, but Hashd al-Shaabi has now learned to build and operate drones with the help of Iranian military advisors.' Kazemi believes the strength of Iranian military commanders lies in how they interact with Iraqi forces: 'A Hashd al-Shaabi soldier sees his commander...either Haji Hadi Amiri or Haji Muhandis or even Haji Qassem Soleimani during operations, eats with them, sits on the ground next to them, and jokes with them. For this reason, they are always ready for battle and have become an invincible force.'