FILE PHOTO: Iranian Revolutionary Guard Commander Qassem Soleimani (L) visits the town of Tal Ksaiba in Salahuddin province, Iraq in 2015. (Reuters)
Heshmat Alavi, Special to Al Arabiya EnglishMonday, 23 October 2017
Despite all the brouhaha made over Iran’s “lightning” advances in Iraqi Kurdistan, the entire scene change in less than 48 hours.
Tehran desperately needed to respond to US President Donald Trump’s lambasting October 13th speech launching a
major policy shift and designating the Iranian regime’s crown jewel, the Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), as a terrorist organization.
The flag representing the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), brought down by Iran-backed militia forces known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), was raised once again Wednesday night.
Despite the tens of thousands of locals who fled their homes, footage on social media showed armed residents stationed in the streets of Kirkuk, Khaneqein and a number of other cities.
With locals taking matters into their own hands, and international pressure escalating on Baghdad, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi ordered all armed forces other than local security units to withdraw, forcing the PMF to retreat.
This is literally a slap in the face for Tehran
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