What’s behind Iraq’s explosive political crisis?

 

CNN  — 

Iraq is in the midst of its worst and longest political crisis in years. At the center of this overheating conflict stands Iraqi political kingmaker Moqtada al-Sadr and a rival bloc of parties with strong ties to neighboring Iran.

In a show of strength, supporters of Shiite cleric Sadr last week twice stormed Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone – which houses government buildings and Western embassies – and on Sunday staged a long sit-in inside parliament.

While Sadr’s supporters are rallying against the nomination of a new prime minister, these protests also represent a deep political rift festering between Iraq’s rival Shiite blocs and the influential hand that analysts say Iran is playing from afar.

“Iran will be a party in this conflict,” said Ihsan Al-Shammari, a politics professor at Baghdad University and head of the Iraqi Centre for Political Thought.

“And Sadr is aware that Iran could be what pushes the Coordination Framework to try to inflate its influence in the political scene in Iraq,” he added.

Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Marketing Advertising Trade Agriculture Farming & Rural Animals Banking Breaking News Story Building & Construction Business – stock market Community Defence Education & Training Emergency Services News Business Education Science & Tech Food Lifestyle Entertainment Sports Food & Beverage Fitness Foreign affairs & trade Gambling Government – ACT Government – Federal Information Technology Insurance Local News and Stories Oil & Mining Property & Real Estate Research & Development Technology Telecommunication Youth Business & Finance Computers & IT Business Economics General News Health Pharmacy Industry Medicine Gambling Government – ACT