Since US forces toppled Saddam Hussein’s regime, Iran has quietly worked to expand its influence in Shi’a-dominated areas of Iraq. Tehran views the strengthening of cultural and religious ties among adherents of the Shi’a branch of Islam as a vital national interest.
Ardeshir Moaveni is a freelance journalist who specializes in Iranian and Afghanistani affairs.
© 2003 Eurasianet. Posted on Religioscope with permission.
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