Mithal al-Alusi: Iran fuels Baghdad-Erbil disputes to establish the Shiite Crescent

Shafaq News/ Baghdad-Erbil differences over the disputed areas stem from the Iranian will to establish the Shiite transnational coalition, Mithal al-Alusi, the prominent Iraqi politician, revealed.

In a statement to Shafaq News agency, al-Alusi said, "there is an attempt to twist the arm of the Kurdistan Region, by cutting funds and other actions that Baghdad is carrying out  under the pressure of militias and political forces close to and supported by Tehran."

Al-Alusi attributed this collusion to "the presence of Kurds in Kirkuk, Nineveh, and Diyala, which is the linking road to Syria to Lebanon, or what is known as the Shiite crescent that Iran aspires to establish."

"Iran sought to obtain Kurdish cooperation and support for this purpose. However, the Kurds refused, specifically the leader of the Democratic Party, Massoud Barzani."

"cutting salaries and other problems? Iran stands behind it. Iran is even deepening it to pressure the Kurds to accept the Shiite Crescent."