Report: Leaked intelligence cables show Iran’s massive grip on Iraq - AP, Israel Hayom Staff

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by AP, Israel Hayom Staff

The unprecedented leak of 700 pages of Iranian intelligence cables, according to The New York Times and The Intercept, shows Tehran’s efforts to embed itself in Iraq, including paying Iraqi agents working for the US to switch sides.

A poster of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi hangs on a building near Tahrir Square in Baghdad | Photo: AP/Hadi Mizban

The New York Times and The Intercept reported on Monday that they have reviewed hundreds of pages of purported Iranian intelligence documents that detail Iran’s massive influence in neighboring Iraq.

They said the unprecedented leak of 700 pages of Iranian intelligence cables shows Tehran’s efforts to embed itself in Iraq, including paying Iraqi agents working for the United States to switch sides.

Vanessa Gezari of The Intercept says her publication received the documents from an unknown source and that “we still don’t know who they’re from.” The Intercept shared the documents with the Times.

Monday’s article about the documents comes amid growing anti-Iran sentiment expressed by Iraqi anti-government protesters. It also comes at a time of widespread anti-government protests in Iran.

There was no immediate comment from Iraqi or Iranian officials.


AP, Israel Hayom Staff

Source: https://www.israelhayom.com/2019/11/18/report-leaked-intelligence-cables-show-irans-massive-grip-on-iraq/

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