The U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 completely altered the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East. After Saddam’s forces were defeated, a violent insurgency led to the deaths of 4,487American soldiers and 228,000 mostly Iraqi citizens. Arguably, Iran benefitted most from the defeat of Iraq’s former dictator.
Since 2003 Tehran’s influence in the region has grown substantially in countries such as Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen. Furthermore, the improved relations between Iran and Iraq is staggering considering the two countries fought a bloody war during the 80s of the previous century. Since Saddam’s defeat, Tehran has fostered good political relations with Shia parties in Bagdad and developed significant bilateral economic interests. Therefore, Iraq is one of the few countries in the world which enjoys good relations with both the U.S. and Iran.
The current U.S. administration strongly opposes the close affiliation between Bagdad and Tehran. Washington’s efforts to isolate Iran on the international stage to exert maximum political and economic pressure are obstructed by Iraq’s purchase of Iranian energy. The U.S., therefore, has been pushing Bagdad to become energy independent.