An analyst critical of Iran's policies has been killed in Baghdad

On Monday night, July 6, two motorcyclists, Hisham Hashemi, a critical Iranian analyst, were shot dead in Baghdad.

Several critics and opponents of Iran's policies in Iraq have already been killed.

Last year, Rohullah Zam, an Iranian journalist, was arrested during a trip to Iraq and returned to Iran, where he was sentenced to death in Iran.

After 2003 and the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, Iran's political, military and security influence in Iraq increased.
In 2011 and after the withdrawal of a large number of US troops from Iraq, Iran's influence and authority in Iraq increased.
The war with ISIS provided another opportunity for Iran to increase its hegemony in Iraq, especially through financial and military support from militant groups.
According to a recent Reuters report, Iran donates $ 2-3 million a month to these groups.
These groups, which are directly commanded by Iran, have repeatedly attacked US coalition forces and US bases and embassies.
Iranian-backed forces also played a role in suppressing last year's protests in Iraq.
During the protests, which were attended by many protesters who opposed Iran's presence and influence, Iran's allied forces killed several Iranian activists.
Mr. Hisham al-Hashimi was a supporter of the demonstrators and a staunch opponent of Iran's allied groups.
Hashemi has said several times that he has been threatened by groups under Iranian command.