Iran is funnelling money into Iraq to influence the outcome of its elections, the US Defence Secretary James Mattis said, calling it part of a broader pattern of destabilising Iranian actions across the Middle East.
"We have worrisome evidence that Iran is trying to influence — using money — the Iraqi elections," Mr Mattis told reporters flying with him to Washington from Bahrain, where he discussed Iran and other issues with senior government officials.
"That money is being used to sway candidates, to sway votes — not an insignificant amount of money, we believe, and it's highly unhelpful," he said.
"We know that they are doing what they can to impact the elections, and we don't like it."
Mr Mattis mentioned no amounts, but his comments on Thursday came as the US National Security Adviser, HR McMaster, said Iran had given more than $16 billion (Dh58.7bn) to the Assad regime in Syria and to proxies in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
Iran increased its influence in Iraq by supporting the mainly Shiite militias that were mobilised to fight ISIL after the extremist group seized much of the north and west of the country in 2014. Many figures from the militias are taking part in the general election scheduled for May.
Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi is seeking another term after Iraqi government forces, backed by the militias and the US mliitary, reclaimed the territory seized by ISIL.
Iran's political influence in Iraq has grown since the US invaded to remove president Saddam Hussein in 2003, marking the start of a prolonged period of sectarian division, extremist violence and political strife.
Mr Mattis also criticised Iranian meddling elsewhere in the Middle East. He said Tehran was providing ammunition and explosives to fighters in Syria, and supporting rebels in Yemen.
He said the Bab Al Mandeb strait off the coast of southern Yemen was being used as a "proving ground" for advanced Iranian weaponry, including anti-ship missiles, radars, mines, ballistic missiles and explosive boats.
On the other hand, Iran has stopped conducting provocative and dangerous manoeuvres against US navy ships in the Arabian Gulf, Mr Mattis said.
"It's like an outlier, and I don't know why," he said. "They don't seem to be engaging in the same provocative behaviour" in the Gulf as they were prior to last summer.
Commander William Urban, a spokesman for US Naval Forces Central Command in Bahrain, said earlier on Thursday that there had been no "unsafe and unprofessional" actions by Iranian naval forces in the Gulf since August.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 10.5L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh129,999 (VX Luxury); from Dh149,999 (VX Black Gold)
MADAME WEB
Director: S.J. Clarkson
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Tahar Rahim, Sydney Sweeney
Rating: 3.5/5
LIVING IN...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
Golden Shoe top five (as of March 1):
Harry Kane, Tottenham, Premier League, 24 goals, 48 points
Edinson Cavani, PSG, Ligue 1, 24 goals, 48 points
Ciro Immobile, Lazio, Serie A, 23 goals, 46 points
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool, Premier League, 23 goals, 46 points
Lionel Messi, Barcelona, La Liga, 22 goals, 44 points
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
Specs: 2024 McLaren Artura Spider
Engine: 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 and electric motor
Max power: 700hp at 7,500rpm
Max torque: 720Nm at 2,250rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
0-100km/h: 3.0sec
Top speed: 330kph
Price: From Dh1.14 million ($311,000)
On sale: Now
Major honours
ARSENAL
BARCELONA
- La Liga - 2013
- Copa del Rey - 2012
- Fifa Club World Cup - 2011
CHELSEA
- Premier League - 2015, 2017
- FA Cup - 2018
- League Cup - 2015
SPAIN
- World Cup - 2010
- European Championship - 2008, 2012
‘FSO Safer’ - a ticking bomb
The Safer has been moored off the Yemeni coast of Ras Issa since 1988.
The Houthis have been blockading UN efforts to inspect and maintain the vessel since 2015, when the war between the group and the Yemen government, backed by the Saudi-led coalition began.
Since then, a handful of people acting as a skeleton crew, have performed rudimentary maintenance work to keep the Safer intact.
The Safer is connected to a pipeline from the oil-rich city of Marib, and was once a hub for the storage and export of crude oil.
The Safer’s environmental and humanitarian impact may extend well beyond Yemen, experts believe, into the surrounding waters of Saudi Arabia, Djibouti and Eritrea, impacting marine-life and vital infrastructure like desalination plans and fishing ports.
Islamic Architecture: A World History
Author: Eric Broug
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Pages: 336
Available: September
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)