Birds of a Feather

A recent New York Times article titled "Iran Secretly Sending Drones and Supplies Into Iraq, U.S. Officials Say" by Michael R. Gordon and Eric Schmitt outlines Iranian aid being provided to the Iraqi government in their fight against the Sunni Militants occupying the north western regions of Iraq. Iran has sent a few dozen paramilitary officers to advise Iraqi military commanders as well as to help mobilize over 2000 Shiite troops located in southern Iraq. Iranian transport planes have been making multiple fights a day to Baghdad each loaded with at least 70 tons of military arms and supplies per trip. The Iranian military has even stationed a small fleet of surveillance drones at Rasheed Air Base in Baghdad. Although large numbers of Iranian troops have not yet been sent into Iraq, upwards of 10 division of Iranian troops and paramilitary commandos have be amassed along the Iran-Iraq border. While Iran may suggest these troop are positioned for the security of Iran, it is an obvious contingency force should Baghdad become imperiled. 

The reasons for Iran supporting the Iraqi government are relatively clear, Iran is the seat of power of the Shiite world; to allow the Shiite controlled Iraqi government to fall is in contrary to Iran's interests. More importantly to Shiites in general however is the security of their holy shrines located mostly in southern Iraq. The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, ISIS, had made their intention clear to desecrate if not entirely decimate these holy sites to strike a blow to all of the Shiite population across the Middle East. While the Iraqi military claims to have these sites under heavy guard on high alert, it is apparent that the Iranians do not have the utmost faith in the Iraqi military's capabilities based on their inability to push back the tide of insurgency thus far. Should the need arise for armed intervention in either Baghdad or at any of these holy shrines, the Iranian military will likely move in to secure them with or perhaps even without the invitation of the government in Baghdad.

Another significant reason for Iran to support the Iraqi government is the national security of Iran itself. Should Baghdad fall under the control of the Sunni sect, it would put Iran in a dangerous position. Only a few decades ago Iran and Iraq fought a long bloody war fueled by this very sectarian rift. Iraq invaded Iran in 1980 in attempts to exploit chaos caused by the Islamic revolution in Iran in 1979. Iranian forces repelled the Iraqi invasion within two years and then spent the next six years on the offensive, fighting with classical trench warfare within Iraq. With neither side emerging as a victor, the war ended on a fragile ceasefire brokered by the United Nations in 1988. For Iran to allow Iraq to once again become a Sunni controlled state it would set the stage for another bloody war between the two nations which would surely begin over control of the Shiite holy shrines presently located within Iraq. Iran would likely rather forcefully annex the southern Shiite dominated regions of Iraq then allow these holy sites to be defiled by Sunni militants.