( CNN) US President Donald Trump may be about to declare that Iran is no longer in compliance with the international nuclear agreement, but the country is on a roll across the Countries of the middle east. Iran has great influence in Iraq and Syria, strong relations with Russia and Turkey and its arch-rival, Saudi Arabia, is undergoing a difficult generational transition.
In Iraq, pro-Iranian militias such as the Badr Brigade came to the rescue when the Iraqi army collapsed in 2014 and they resulted the fight against ISIS in places like Tikrit and Tal Afar. They are now “partners” of Iraq's defense forces but not genuinely controlled under Baghdad.
These militias — the Popular Mobilization Units — have even turned up on Iraq's border with Syria, bringing a step closer Iran's dream of connecting Tehran, Baghdad, Damascus and Beirut in a Shia arc of influence. With elections in Iraq next year, the militias are looking toward a political role.
