Iranian influence raises concern as elections near

BAGHDAD — Iran’s influence is looming large as Iraqis prepare to head to the polls for parliamentary elections in May, with many in the country worried that Tehran may be looking to strengthen its political grip on Baghdad through the ballot box.

Iranian support and military advisers helped Baghdad’s Shiite-led government beat back the Islamic State. But with Islamic State militants now largely defeated militarily, Iran’s expanding influence has emerged as one of Iraq’s most divisive issues ahead of the balloting.

That influence has sown fear among Iraq’s disenchanted minority Sunnis, who bore the brunt of the war’s destruction, and has also caused concern in Washington. Despite tensions between the United States and Iran, both remain key allies of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s government.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis last month accused Iran of “mucking around” in Iraq’s upcoming elections, telling reporters the U.S. has what he called “worrisome evidence” that Iran is funneling “not an insignificant amount of money” into Iraq to try to sway votes. Baghdad rejected the accusation.

Government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi stressed that the use of foreign money in domestic politics “is illegal and unconstitutional.”

“The government is taking great efforts to hold free and fair elections and prevent the manipulation of election results,” he said.

Both Iran and Iraq are Shiite-majority counties and share deep economic and cultural ties — as well as a 900-mile border.

The two countries fought a devastating war in the 1980s that left hundreds of thousands dead. But Iranian influence in Iraq has steadily grown since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, marking the start of a prolonged period of sectarian division, extremist violence and political strife.

Since Saddam’s ouster, Iraqi markets have been stocked with Iranian goods, and millions of Iranian pilgrims descend on Iraq each year to visit holy Shiite shrines.