Iran Pushing Large Pilgrimage To Iraq To Show Influence

In June, the US agreed to make $2.7 billion available for Iran’s humanitarian needs. In July, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Sudani said Baghdad will begin trading crude oil for Iranian gas to end payment delays to Tehran due to the need for US approval. Critics of the Biden administration slam the White House for inconsistent enforcement of sanctions against Iran’s oil trade, leading to the highest Iranian oil export levels since the United States withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in 2018 and imposed sanctions.