A United States Democratic congressman who recently traveled to Iraq is warning that Iran’s regime is acting as a destabilizing force in that country.
“What’s become really clear is that Iran wants to be a major force in Iraq. And they’re willing to spend a lot of money to destabilize it and keep the whole thing going, and keep the region unstable,” Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) told The Hill in a recent interview.
Ryan said he learned that Iran’s regime controlled about 45 of the news stations in Iraq, which also broadcast anti-American messaging.
“The message of anti-Americanism, anti-U.S. that we’re the big problem in the world is the only message getting out in that region, and I think we need … to get the message out in that region,” he said.
The U.S. has pushed current Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al Abadi to undertake political reforms to allow for more Sunni autonomy and representation, but progress has been slow, The Hill wrote on Wednesday.
Rep. Ryan said he did see some signs of reform.
“The prime minister wanted to completely retool his cabinet because there was a huge protest outside of the compound — Sunni-led, and he is offering now to retool his cabinet,” Mr. Ryan said.
“The fact that he said he was going to redo his cabinet I think was a fairly good sign that he’s opening up and understanding that the Sunnis really have to have buy in, and these chiefs and these Sunni leaders have to have buy-in,” he said.
Mr. Ryan also called for a comprehensive plan to defeat ISIS.