Daniel 8:3 The Large Horn Aids The Small Horn

Iranian military clout in Iraq grows with fight against terrorists

The previous Persian Empire

By The Washington Post

Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014, 12:01 a.m.

Iranian military involvement has dramatically increased in Iraq in the past year as Tehran has delivered desperately needed aid to Baghdad in its fight against Islamic State terrorists, American, Iraqi and Iranian sources say.

In the eyes of Obama administration officials, equally concerned about the rise of the brutal Islamist group, that’s an acceptable role — for now.

Yet American officials remain apprehensive about the potential for renewed friction with Iran as American troops return to a limited mission in Iraq, either directly or via Iranian-backed militias that once attacked U.S. personnel on a regular basis.

A senior Iranian cleric with close ties to Tehran’s leadership, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss security matters, said that since the Islamic State captured much of northern Iraq in June, Iran has sent more than 1,000 military advisers as well as elite units to Iraq and has spent more than $1 billion on military aid.

“The areas that have been liberated from Daesh have been thanks to Iran’s advice, command, leaders and support,” the cleric said, using the Arabic acronym for the group.