Iran transfers short-range missiles to Iraq – report

Iran is said to have transferred short-range missiles and drones to Iraq through the Shalamcheh border crossing , along with IRGC units to operate them, according to Sunday’s Kuwaiti Al Qabas, citing “sources inside Iran.” The rockets were Iranian-made Arash guided missiles and delivered to pro-Iranian Iraqi armed groups in the south. The hardware could be used potentially to attack neighboring countries in the weeks before or after President Donald Trump leaves the White House, said the sources. They added that this possibility had been raised by the Qods Force chief Esmail Ghaani during his visit to Iraq and in deliberations on retaliation for the assassination of nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh which was blamed on Israel. Tensions with the US spiraled again last week after a rocket attack on the US embassy in Baghdad, for which the President Trump accused Tehran.