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Iran Divides Iraqi Politicians

Iran’s long-standing and deep involvement in Iraqi politics has recently witnessed a backlash.
People burn an Israeli and a U.S. flag during a rally to mark "Al Quds" or Jerusalem Day, in Najaf, about 160 km (100 miles) south of Baghdad, August 2, 2013.                   REUTERS/Haider Ala (IRAQ - Tags: CIVIL UNREST POLITICS) - RTX1286E
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Iraq is currently the scene of a sharp regional conflict between Iran and its opponents. This is nothing new, however. Regional events have come to show that any country witnessing political or social instability, amid weak state control, can be exposed to a similar power struggle on the part of rich and stable regional powers that have a geopolitical agenda.

This is the case in Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Yemen and Bahrain. One can say that the current regional rivalry is hampering the process of rebuilding the state and national identity. It is due to this rivalry that internal conflicts have become complicated, as they turn into an extension of a wider regional conflict waged by powerful countries on the soft lands of unstable countries.

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