Iran’s Power Over Iraq

Iranian leaders erupted with rage and threats of revenge after a U.S. drone strike killed the country’s second most powerful figure in a surprise missile attack at Baghdad’s main airport Thursday night.

The death of General Qassem Soleimani, the high-profile leader of Iran’s elite Quds Force, now threatens to unleash a fresh wave of instability and conflict throughout the Middle East.

Iran and Iraq fought one of the longest and bloodiest wars of the 20th century, which cost the lives of more than a million people and cemented the two countries’ rivalry in the decades that followed.But after ISIS took over wide swaths of Iraq, Iran came to Iraq’s aid.

After the defeat of ISIS, VICE correspondent Isobel Yeung travels to Iraq to see how Iran is exerting its growing influence over the war-torn country ahead of parliamentary elections.

Subscribe to VICE News here: http://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-VICE-News

Check out VICE News for more: http://vicenews.com

Follow VICE News here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vicenews
Twitter: https://twitter.com/vicenews
Tumblr: http://vicenews.tumblr.com/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/vicenews
More videos from the VICE network: https://www.fb.com/vicevideo

#VICEonHBO