By Pramod Raj Sedhain.
Ties between the United States and Islamic Republic of Iran have been hostile. After the 1979 revolution, Iranian students occupied the US Embassy in Tehran on November 4. The U.S. launched a rescue mission (Operation Eagle Claw) on April 24, 1980, that eventually ended in a collision between a helicopter and a transport plane killing eight servicemen. Fifty two American nationals were taken hostage for 444 days.
This resulted to breaking up of the formal diplomatic relations thus worsening the relations further. In fact, these countries had a tactical alliance aimed at toppling the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and Iraq’s Saddam regime in 2003. However, currently both the countries have initiated efforts to further their ties and heading towards common interests to degrade and ultimately destroy the Islamic State(IS). They jointly formed the government under Iraq’s new Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi and initiated collective approach to fight against IS militants. U.S. economic sanctions against Iran is still in place while direct nuclear negotiations are underway. However, both these countries want to maintain power balance in the Middle East region.
U.S. and Iran have faced common enemy – Islamic State, which helped in narrowing down the differences through uneasy alliance between them. Washington and Tehran have taken an undisclosed and undeclared key alliance against anti-IS war since the beginning of Iraqi crisis. Both the countries have their common interest to eliminate the IS threat and form a stable government in Baghdad. The relations between the two nations, it seems, have been narrowing down gradually when it comes to war in Iraq.
Iraq’s war have brought these two countries closer. The US-led aerial coalition and Iran-led ground battle coalition have been gaining momentum against IS militants in Iraq. Ground battle against Islamic State is fully dependent on Iran’s elite extra-territorial operations branch of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-the Quds Force. After IS swept through northern Iraq in June, U.S. and Iran started an uneasy alliance. Iran swiftly involved in the counter attack against IS in Iraq by supplying weapons, intelligence, training, logistics to help in the fight against IS. U.S and Iran got closer when the Central Government of Baghdad was about to collapse .
When Baghdad was about to collapse, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps elite Quds Force’s commander General Qassim Suleimani made a ground visit. He inspected the government’s defense position and instantly mobilized the militia and coordinated with the government force, militia as well Iraqi politicians and military officials and even designed the defense ring around Baghdad. Suleimani led the prominent Iranian role to Baghdad’s rescue.
Suleimani directly commanded and coordinated the alternative military formation in Iraqi battle along with militias, military and volunteers. Previously, the U.S. was suspicious of Iranian role over Iraq, especially the fear that the conflict could enter a wider sectarian line. But the result was productive enough thus forming the broader anti-IS alliance with Iraqi security, Shiites militias, Kurdish Peshmerga forces, Christian minority militia as well as even the Sunni militia joined the direct initiative of commander Suleimani.
Iranian commanders demonstrated their ability. Iran neutralized the factions in Iraqi’s security and militia groups. The mobilization against IS gained the US trust on the ground. Iranian’s involvement on the ground was openly accepted by the United States. Iran’s success had a psychological impact giving a clear message that it was aimed at defeating the IS. Iran became a legitimate player in the war against Islamic State and became a trusted but undeclared ally of the US in its fight against IS. It was of course a common goal – what they already did together in Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq in 2003. The U.S had an entirely new approach to accept the Iranian sphere of influence over Iraqi factions and made an informal coordination with each other.
Baghdad was threatened from four fronts. However, after Iranian general coordinated the counter attack, Baghdad was secured with Iraq almost fully dependant on Iranian support. Now the situation in Iraqi is under control and Iran is providing most of the ground offense support.
Halting the IS advance in Iraq gave Suleimani more name and fame around the world. Suleimani credited the major victories against the Islamic State groups in Iraq and achieved legendary military status. Before the war against Islamic State, Suleimani had kept a very low profile but after the successful strategy, the general is highly branded by Iran and Western media. Iran is greatly concerned about the safety of Shia shrines in Iraq in Samarra, Kadhimiya, Najaf and Karbala. But it was equally concerned over the takeover by IS in Diyala province near the border town of Iran.
The province was liberated with the support of Iran. At times, Iran also provided areal assistance to stop the advance of the IS fighters. Suleimani and other senior Iranian general directly engaged on the ground in Amerli in the north and in Iraqi Kurdistan to direct and command the direct ground battle. The ground battle strategy was initiated by Iran and U.S. provided aerial support for their common goal for the elimination of the IS.
Almost all anti-IS fighter groups have very strong ties with Iran’s elite Quds Force and U.S aerial strikes have supported them to advance against Islamic State. US has supported Iran’s role in Iraq. Even America’s former arch enemy militia opened gate to Baghdad’s Green Zone U.S. Embassy – the largest, fortified, lavish and most expensive embassy in the world. Several American diplomatic officials were in direct touch with Iran -backed militia in Iraq to learn about their progress. Even the Ambassador consulted with their leader for the airstrikes. This is surely a positive indication of improved relationship between Washington and Tehran.
Iraq is Iran’s strategic buffer and it has extended support and influence over anti Islamic fighters. U.S-Iran tactical alliance was equally significant in the crucial Mosul battle. Both nations have made dramatic correspond with each other on their interests in Iraq. Even security officials created many virtual points to directly discuss on the war situations. Both are active to locate the high profile Islamic State’s central command target and even involved in exchanging their information. Both the nations have maintained common collaboration in Iraq.
Washington has now applied soft policy towards its former sworn enemy Iran. Iran’s ability to handle the critical situation is equally tactical for American interest. Iraq is dependent on Iran for their survival and two countries’ political, security, cultural, economic and diplomatic connection had significant ties, which America also accepts. The U.S. and Iran relation has already shifted on the ground but both sides do not easily want to disclose their cooperation.
