BAGHDAD — The visit of Iranian Quds Force commander Esmail Ghaani to Iraq last week received a great deal of attention and provoked controversy on the local political scene. 

His visit was an attempt to unify Shiite forces in nominating a new prime minister — one who would have close ties to Iran — amid the fruitless efforts of the current prime minister-designate, Adnan al-Zurfi, to form a Cabinet. Zurfi is currently facing opposition from the Shiite parliamentary majority.

Yet Ghaani failed to unify the Shiite factions, unlike his predecessor Qasem Soleimani, who brought Shiite forces together to carry out Iran’s objectives. Ghaani not only failed to unite Iraq's leaders but also drew condemnation and criticism from the Shiite leadership.

Al-Monitor learned from a senior clerical source in Najaf that the office of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani rejected Ghaani’s request for a meeting. Furthermore, influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr canceled a prescheduled meeting with Ghaani, stating in a written message to Ghaani, delivered by Sadr’s military adviser, Abu Doua al-Issawi, that "there should be no foreign interference in Iraq’s affairs."