Esmail Qaani, commander of Iran’s Quds Force, has instructed leaders of Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq to refrain from responding to threats from the United States and Israel, Iran International reported on Sunday. According to the report, Qaani conveyed his directive during a recent visit to Baghdad, urging restraint among Tehran’s regional allies. Asharq Al-Awsat reported that the same message was also relayed to Yemen’s Houthis through intermediaries in Iraq. Sources cited by Iran International indicated that Qaani held multiple meetings during his trip, most of them taking place in the Iraqi capital. Among those present at the meetings in Baghdad, the report said, were leaders of the Coordination Framework—a coalition of pro-Iran Shiite political parties—along with commanders of Iran-affiliated armed factions. Also in attendance were members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a paramilitary group integrated into Iraq’s security apparatus, as well as Iran’s ambassador to Iraq, Mohammad Kazem Al-Sadegh, who has ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The Iranian-backed militias in Iraq regularly fired UAVs towards Israel, leading the US to warn Iraq in November that Israel is no longer willing to ignore the daily launches towards it from Iraqi territory. In late December, the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar reported that it had received confirmation from a leader of one of the Iraqi militias that the militias have agreed to stop their offensive against Israel. As for the Houthis, the Yemen-based rebels have upped their attacks in the region since October of 2023, having launched drones and ballistic missiles towards cities in Israel while also targeting commercial ships in the Red Sea region, in support for Gazans. Related articles: Quds Force defector reveals effects of attempt on his life Iranian spy network exposed in the Golan Heights Iranian TV shows footage of Quds Force commander Report: Quds Force commander under IRGC investigation The Houthis halted their launches towards Israel with the start of the ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, but last week once again began firing missiles towards Israel. The US last week launched an operation against the Houthis in Yemen, with strikes against their defense capabilities, as well as missile and drone systems.I
