The limited appearance of Esmail Qaani, commander of the Quds Force, during the funeral procession for Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the Iraqi city of Najaf on Wednesday has once again drawn attention to the complex nature of relations between Baghdad and Tehran.
The development comes as Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi prepares to visit Washington later this month, a trip that observers see as a fresh test of his government's ability to balance its relations with the United States and Iran.
Qaani appeared in Iraq in a short video clip that could not be independently verified. The footage, which lasted only a few minutes, showed him beside an Iranian aircraft on the tarmac at Najaf Airport.
The scene was marked by caution and brevity, in contrast to the presence of other Iranian officials at the funeral, including Mohsen Rezaei, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader, who were seen moving freely around the city.
Observers said the nature of Qaani's appearance may reflect an attempt to maintain a symbolic presence without displaying broad public engagement, given the sensitivity of Baghdad's current political moment.
Iraqi-Iranian tensions
Iraqi sources in recent days raised expectations about al-Zaidi’s planned visit to Washington, while other sources reported tensions at a meeting between him and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi during Araghchi’s visit to Baghdad last week.
Other sources said Baghdad had asked Tehran not to send Qaani to the funeral before images emerged showing him alongside other Iranian military officials.
The Iraqi request could not be independently confirmed. But Qaani’s appearance revived debate over the limits of Iranian influence in Iraq, especially as al-Zaidi’s government moves to reorganize internal files that touch on political forces and armed factions historically linked to Tehran.
Asharq al-Awsat previously reported, citing sources, that Iraq’s government had asked Tehran to use diplomatic channels to arrange visits by its officials and avoid secret trips.
Al-Zaidi’s Washington visit comes at a sensitive time.
Baghdad is trying to build a new relationship with the US administration as tensions persist between Washington and Tehran.
The two sides had been engaged in fragile de-escalation talks until those talks stopped and intermittent military strikes resumed.
Iraq now faces the challenge of preserving a delicate balance between the two sides and preventing the country from becoming a battlefield for rival allies.
Al-Zaidi, who came to office amid complex domestic calculations, is facing growing pressure from some parties in the Coordination Framework after his government moved on corruption-related files.
His supporters see the steps as an attempt to restore the authority of state institutions. His opponents see them as a potential shift in the balance of power inside Iraq’s political system.
Parties move to withdraw support
Particular attention is focused on the “Dawn Operation,” which has been linked to security and judicial measures against figures accused of corruption.
An Iraqi politician, who requested anonymity, said the operation had alarmed political parties that believed al-Zaidi’s selection, as a figure not fully aligned with any one side, would help contain disputes inside the Coordination Framework.
The politician told Asharq al-Awsat that the use of Counter-Terrorism Service units, partly trained by US forces, had deepened the sensitivity of the moment.
The service is viewed differently from the Popular Mobilization Forces, which retain ideological and organizational links with political forces and armed factions.
People close to al-Zaidi say the prime minister wants to arrive in Washington with domestic leverage, including what his supporters see as an early success in confronting corruption files.
But opposition from senior figures in the Coordination Framework, at least three of whom have boycotted government-linked meetings, suggests they are moving to withdraw support for the anti-corruption plan.
Iraqi analysts say the Washington visit could become a test of the country’s internal balance of power. Some believe al-Zaidi is trying to avoid a direct clash with forces close to Iran before the trip, while keeping wider options open if he secures US support.
Observers said Qaani’s presence at the funeral, despite the controversy surrounding it, does not necessarily indicate a direct confrontation between Baghdad and Tehran.
But it does signal a more delicate phase in managing relations between the two countries, as Iraq’s government tries to assert the independence of its political decision-making without severing regional ties.
