A power struggle in Iraq between the Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and rivals aligned with Iran is testing Tehran's ability to stave off a conflict that could damage its interests and further destabilize the oil-rich country. With Sadr supporters camped out in parliament and his opponents protesting in the streets, the tussle over a new government has put fresh strain on a political system that has been buffeted by crises since US-led forces toppled Saddam Hussein two decades ago.
BAGHDAD (Reuters) -A power struggle in Iraq between the Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and rivals aligned with Iran is testing Tehran's ability to stave off a conflict that could damage its interests and further destabilise the oil-rich country.
When he raises his index finger and frowns, Iraq holds its breath. The mercurial Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr has yet again emerged as a powerful player in Iraqi politics, able to mobilise his loyalists.Hundreds of them have, for three days, occupied the country's parliament with adherence to one guiding principle: obedience to Moqtada. He has urged other political factions to support the protest.
By Ahmed Rasheed BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Moqtada al-Sadr has raised the stakes in the struggle for Iraq with a major political escalation that could lead .