Making Sense of Iran’s Iraq Policy

Iran’s relationship with Iraq has come into the limelight amid the onslaught of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Iranian policy is geared towards maintaining Iraq’s territorial integrity, secure qualified stability and expand Iran’s economic sphere. To maximize its influence in Iraq, Tehran has been playing the long game, exploited the mistakes of other foreign actors, diversified its relationships with Iraqi factions, seized on Baghdad’s limited alliance options and sought a constructive relationship with Grand Ayatollah al-Sistani.