Iraqi survivor of 2009 Baghdad bombing describes how Iran used Shia religious narrative to shift Iraqi political support toward Assad

The August 19, 2009, bombing of Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs left the surrounding area, in the author's description, resembling a ghost town: burned vehicles, shattered concrete, and collapsed T-walls that had previously screened the building from view. Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari survived only because he had stepped out of his office seconds before the blast buried his desk under tons of marble and concrete. The initial death toll stood at 95, with more than 400 injured.

Surveillance footage released that evening showed a small blue truck detonating near the ministry. Iraqi investigators linked the vehicle's license plate to a crossing from Syrian territory, and Prime Minister Maliki stated publicly that ninety percent of foreign terrorists had entered Iraq through Syria. He called on Damascus to expel Baathists and Takfiri extremists using Syrian soil to stage attacks inside Iraq. Assad denied any responsibility.

The Washington Examiner op-ed, written by Entifadh Qanbar — identified as a doctoral candidate at the Institute of World Politics and a former spokesman for Iraq's deputy prime minister — describes what he characterizes as a subsequent reversal: within roughly two years of the bombing, Iraqi Shia political leaders, including Maliki, moved from publicly confronting Assad to actively supporting his government as the Syrian uprising began. Qanbar attributes this shift to sustained pressure from Iran on Iraq's Shia leadership.