What Nishmat’s Ma’ayan program for Ethiopian women says about Israel’s future

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is traveling to Iraq on Sunday, a visit that appears intended to underscore Iraq's continued partnership with Tehran. The trip comes at a time of heightened regional tensions and following US Secretary of State Marco Rubio's spotlight on the threat posed by Iranian-backed militias operating in Iraq.

Mehr News Agency, citing the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, announced the visit on Saturday night. The timing suggests Iran may be responding to an urgent development or is concerned about revealing the trip's specifics, as such visits are typically planned further in advance. Rumors circulating in Baghdad about a security forces raid on the Green Zone add another layer of complexity, with speculation pointing to an anti-corruption drive targeting senior officials or politicians, possibly including Iranian-linked individuals.

Iraq, under Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, is actively attempting to rein in Iranian-backed militias and demonstrate control over the country's security. This effort is crucial as Zaidi prepares for a visit to the United States in July, where disarming Iraq's numerous militias, many designated as terrorist groups by the US, is a key point of US pressure.

Araghchi's arrival coincides with a regional crisis, as Kuwait and Bahrain condemned Iranian aggression on Sunday morning. Iran has been accused of operationalizing militias in Iraq to carry out attacks following US and Israeli strikes on Iran in February. These actions have led to over 850 attacks attributed to Iran and its Iraqi proxies in Iraq's Kurdistan region in recent months.