A recent visit by Esmail Qaani, the commander of the elite Quds Force in Iran, to Baghdad has put a pause on attacks on U.S. troops by Iraqi armies.This new development comes just 48 hours after the United States accused militant groups in Syria and Iraq of attacking the Tower 22 outpost in Jordan, killing three American soldiers.

According to multiple Iranian and Iraqi sources interviewed by Reuters, the pause on attacks is a sign that Tehran, the capital and largest city of Iran, wants to prevent border conflict. Qaani also met with representatives of various armed groups, urging them to refrain from attacking American forces further. He emphasized the grave consequences of further provoking the United States, which could mean airstrikes on senior commanders and key infrastructure or even direct retaliation against Iran. In a Reuters interview, a senior commander in one of the Iran-aligned Iraqi armed groups remarked that “without Qaani’s direct intervention it would have been impossible to convince Kataib Hezbollah to halt its military operations to de-escalate the tension.”

In response to Qaani’s request, most Iran-backed factions have suspended their attacks – there have been no attacks on the U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria since February 4th, 2024. Amid escalating military tension due to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, diplomatic and peaceful resolutions are needed now more than ever. Iran’s diplomatic engagement with U.S. forces is impactful. It could mean an opportunity for two conflicting factions to address their long-term grievances peacefully and prevent a further escalation of violence.

U.S.-Iran conflicts can be dated back to 2003, when the United States invaded Iraq and overthrew the Ba’athist government of Saddam Hussein. There have been subsequent years of conflict between the two factions, including recent developments where the Quds Force leader Qassem Soleimani was killed, leading to the death of a parliamentary vote for the exit of foreign forces. These events have raised concerns about a potential resurgence of violence. While Iran holds significant influence over Iraqi armed groups, the constant casualties on both sides of the conflict keep the tension dangerously high.

While several Iraqi-aligned groups have stated that they would be open to peaceful negotiation, U.S. forces are not convinced to let up the military pressure for fear it would encourage Iran to strengthen their attacks. The sustainability of the ceasefire remains uncertain, but Iran’s influence on Iraqi armed forces cannot be taken lightly. Moving forward, both parties must continue engaging in diplomatic efforts to prevent escalation.