Iran Arms Iraqi Proxies with Missiles Despite Warnings From Trump

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Iran has delivered long-range missiles to its militia proxies in Iraq, expanding its military influence despite warnings from President Donald Trump to hold Tehran accountable for its proxies’ actions, the Times of London reported.

Tehran continues to bolster its regional dominance by supplying influential Shia militias in Iraq with advanced weaponry.

This action casts doubt on the possibility of Iran reducing its support for these jihadist militia groups as it gears up for crucial negotiations with the United States on its missile capabilities and nuclear program this Saturday.

Last week, regional intelligence monitoring the nearly 1,000-mile border between the countries noted the transfer of weapons. This event marked the first time Iran-allied militias in Iraq had received long-range surface-to-surface missiles. The operation, orchestrated by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Air Force, marks a significant boost in the military strength of these groups, according to The Times.

Additionally, sources indicate that last week also saw the smuggling of two other missile types into Iraq: the Quds 351 cruise and Jamal 69 ballistic missiles, which have a shorter range than the newly delivered surface-to-surface missiles capable of reaching targets as far as Europe.

A regional intelligence source told the Times, “Iran has recently equipped Shia militias in Iraq with missiles, including new, longer-range models not previously supplied to these groups. This represents a reckless effort by Tehran, jeopardizing the stability of Iraq.”

The Houthi rebels in Yemen and the militias in Iraq allied with Iran are perceived as the final groups fighting for the Iranian regime.

The US has recently intensified its strikes against key Houthi positions, resulting in the death of a senior intelligence leader, Abdul Nasser al-Kamali, on Tuesday.

Despite suggestions from Iraqi officials and senior commanders that the Iranian-backed militias were considering disarming to avert conflict with America, a senior Shia politician close to the Iraqi government told Reuters that the groups were preparing to comply with U.S. demands for disarmament to avoid being targeted.

However, an Iraqi political source recently told the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya that the armed factions had actually refused to disarm. “The efforts seen in the last 48 hours to create a picture that the militias are disarming is a ruse,” a diplomatic source in the region disclosed to The Times.

This weekend, the U.S. and Iran are set to engage in discussions about Iran’s nuclear weapons program, which both the U.S. and Israel have firmly stated must not lead to Iran obtaining nuclear weapons.

Delegations from America and Iran are set to meet in Oman on Saturday to negotiate the nuclear deal. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, will lead their respective groups.

If diplomacy fails, the United States, along with Israel, is ready to proceed with military action against the Iranian nuclear program as the Pentagon has deployed two carrier strike groups in the region along with the build-up of fighter jets, bombers, and support aircraft positioned near Iran. The U.S. also deployed additional air defense systems in Israel in the event a war broke out with Iran.

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