“Sistani has occupied a central place in Iraqi Shi‘a politics, revered by all parties as a higher moral guide… By more clearly siding with the protestors, Sistani made one of his boldest moves yet, the outcome of which may determine the balance of power.”
Browsing: Iran
“Shiism in Iraq is being subjected to internal contestation… It is torn between two contradictory impulses—its self-designation as a revolutionary force driven by the example of Hussein, and its newer role as a status quo doctrine, employed by Iraq’s ruling Shia oligarchy.”
“Sadr has managed to build and protect his religious power by maintaining a plurality of religious associations, benefiting from the legitimation of senior clerics while ensuring no single religious authority can rival his own within the Sadrist movement.
“Understanding Sadr’s authority primarily in religious, rather than political, terms can help here. The Sadrist base is not bound to its leader merely by transactional exchanges for material benefits, or by rationalist calculations about political utility or particular ideologies.”
“Why did Saddam sacrifice his long run in power, his regime, and ultimately his life for weapons he did not possess? My goal was to humanize Saddam without sanitizing him so that we could better understand how he acted.”
“The main hinderances to the project’s success are the difficulty of securing sustainable funding for such a megaproject and rampant inefficiency and corruption in Iraqi state institutions. The potential for insecurity and instability may discourage investors in the Development Road.”
Russia is arming Tehran with Spartak vehicles and Mi-28 helicopters to fight domestic insurgency. As Trump threatens military strikes, the Kremlin is studying Iran’s internet blackouts while positioning itself as a potential sanctuary for the fleeing clerical elite
Tehran is trading its strategic independence for Russian protection, securing a $25 billion nuclear agreement and Su-35 fighters. As UN sanctions return, Russian-led infrastructure projects now serve as “safe zones” intended to physically discourage further bombing of Iranian territory.
Iraq must balance its hard-earned stability against renewed ISIS threats and Iranian pressure. As Washington considers its 2026 withdrawal timeline, Baghdad seeks a transition to a bilateral security framework that preserves sovereignty, strengthens national institutions, and reduces economic dependence on Tehran’s energy exports.
Besieged by a leaderless uprising and the loss of regional proxies, Tehran’s theocratic rule is crumbling. While the regime utilizes mass detentions and blackouts to survive, its decimated air defenses and lack of a clear successor for Khamenei make long-term stability impossible.