The Takeaway: Does Iran want to scuttle nuclear deal talks with militia attacks in Iraq?
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Hot take: Iran’s escalation in Iraq is all about timing… and it's likely to backfire
Timing is everything. Pro-Iran militias have launched five drone and rocket attacks on US bases in Iraq this week, injuring two in the most recent, as Ali Mamouri reports. The attacks by groups aligned with Iran put at risk the yet-to-be scheduled seventh and perhaps final round of talks in Vienna among the parties to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) — the so-called Iran nuclear deal that, if successful, would bring both the US back in the deal and provide Tehran urgently needed sanctions relief.
Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which overseas Iran’s compliance with the JCPOA, announced Iran is enriching uranium at 20% and proceeding with further production of uranium metal, steps toward development of a nuclear weapon. That’s a clear violation of previous JCPOA restrictions.
Three possible reasons why Iran is doing this now:
