Which country leverages political and security influence in Iraq by firing ballistic missiles at Kurdish groups and backing militias?

Which country leverages political and security influence in Iraq by firing ballistic missiles at Kurdish groups and backing militias?

• A. Iran
• B. United States
• C. Turkey
• D. Saudi Arabia

Answer: (A)

Using force and proxies to extend influence across borders is a typical tactic some states use to shape a neighboring country’s security and politics. In Iraq, Iran has repeatedly blended direct military tools with allied groups to project power: it has fired ballistic missiles at Kurdish dissident bases in Iraqi Kurdistan and it backs militias that operate inside Iraq, coordinating with them to pressure Iraqi authorities and influence outcomes on the ground. This combination—coercive firepower plus organized, Iran-aligned militias—gives Tehran a way to deter opponents, punish rivals, and push its preferred security and political arrangements without needing to commit large conventional forces. While other countries may be involved in Iraq through support, training, or diplomacy, they don’t typically rely on ballistic missiles aimed at Kurdish groups paired with a broad network of militias in the same way Iran does.

Using force and proxies to extend influence across borders is a typical tactic some states use to shape a neighboring country’s security and politics. In Iraq, Iran has repeatedly blended direct military tools with allied groups to project power: it has fired ballistic missiles at Kurdish dissident bases in Iraqi Kurdistan and it backs militias that operate inside Iraq, coordinating with them to pressure Iraqi authorities and influence outcomes on the ground. This combination—coercive firepower plus organized, Iran-aligned militias—gives Tehran a way to deter opponents, punish rivals, and push its preferred security and political arrangements without needing to commit large conventional forces.

While other countries may be involved in Iraq through support, training, or diplomacy, they don’t typically rely on ballistic missiles aimed at Kurdish groups paired with a broad network of militias in the same way Iran does.