Shafaq News

US and Israeli military threats against Iran are intensifying, accompanied by increased reinforcements, as Iraqi armed factions openly signal their readiness to join any potential confrontation in defense of Tehran.

These positions, delivered through official statements and direct remarks, are being interpreted not as emotional reactions but as part of an increasingly complex regional equation linking Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, and the Gulf.

Observers interviewed by Shafaq News said the escalating rhetoric carries multiple messages: bolstering morale inside Iran, warning the United States and Israel that any conflict could widen in scope, and signaling to Iraq’s current and future governments the limits of political authority and the state’s capacity to control weapons.

“Comprehensive War”

Iran affairs expert Mehdi Azizi said statements by KataibHezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba, and the Badr Organization send a clear message to allies and adversaries that “this phase is different from previous ones,” because any potential war between Iran and the United States “would not remain confined to the two sides, but would turn into an existential war between the Islamic resistance and the Zionist project.”

He noted positive reactions inside Iran to these stances, citing their role in raising morale and reinforcing perceptions that Tehran holds leverage capable of shifting the rules of engagement, alongside missile, defensive, and military readiness to confront any new strike.

“From this perspective, the battle is not purely Iranian, but a confrontation of an axis against Israel,” Azizi concluded.

Issam Al-Feyli, a professor of political science at Al-Mustansiriya University, said the timing of Kataib Hezbollah’s statement delivers a direct message to Iraq’s current and incoming governments that the factions “do not submit to any political will or authority except ideological authority.”

Al-Feyli noted that the factions operate under a fixed strategy that does not change and will not integrate into conventional political structures, describing this as “an explicit declaration that they intend to remain an active force in any potential US–Iran confrontation.”

“Any future conflict would place Iraqi factions within the scope of direct US targeting, with the outcome of such a confrontation determining the nature of future relations between Iran and these groups on one side, and the United States on the other.”

Ahmed Al-Yasiri, head of the Arab-Australian Center for Strategic Studies, assumed that the factions’ statements are primarily driven by external factors, including US military mobilization and mounting pressure to target Iran, particularly amid Israeli expectations of possible intervention by Lebanon’s Hezbollah from the northern front.

Al-Yasiri said that Iraqi factions aim to reduce US–Israeli pressure on Tehran, describing their messaging as shaped more by regional dynamics than by internal political shifts in Iraq. “The rhetoric reflects an effort to reinforce their domestic presence through outward displays of regional engagement.”

During the previous Iran–Israel confrontation in June 2025, regional forces aligned with Tehran did not intervene militarily, limiting their response to protests and political statements. Any renewed conflict, if it occurs, would test the capabilities of allied groups in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen following significant setbacks over the past two years.

The outcome of any such confrontation could determine the future of these factions under three possible scenarios: strengthening Iran’s position if it succeeds in repelling attacks, military and internal collapse, or continued survival under sustained external pressure and deep political and economic strain.

Written and edited by Shafaq News staff.