The USG Open Source Center translates an Arab nationalist call to the southern Shiite province of Maysan, which is ruled by the Sadr Movement of Muqtada al-Sadr, to block Iranian influence. In fact, Maysan, which borders Iran, is negotiating with Iran to receive electricity and other aid.
Movement Calls For Efforts To Prevent Iran From ‘Interfering’ in Iraqi Affairs
Jihadist Websites — OSC Summary
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Terrorism : Movement Calls For Efforts To Prevent Iran From ‘Interfering’ in Iraqi Affairs
On 14 March, a jihadist website posted a statement issued by the Iraqi Movement for Defending Iraq’s Arabism, in which the group calls on the chief of police of Maysan Governorate to support the national movement in the governorate and take action to prevent Iran from interfering in Iraqi affairs. The statement is attributed to the Iraqi Movement for Defending Iraq’s Arabism and is dated 14 March 2008.
A summary of the statement follows:
The statement starts by addressing the people of Maysan Governorate, saying that “the occupation came to kill your love for your nation and to divide you into sects so that it would be able to control your resources completely.”
The statement goes on to say that this [American] “occupation coincides with Iranian infiltration into Iraq under the banner of Shiism and the love of Prophet Muhammad’s household,” and calls on Maysan’s chief of police to “side with the forces and movements that raise the banner of Arabism and Islam, reject the occupation, and seek to prevent Iran from interfering in our affairs.” The statement also calls on the governorate’s officials “to join the Iraqi Movement for Defending Iraq’s Arabism in order to take part in saving the nation from the new tragedy that awaits it.”
The statement concludes by urging the people not to give up their city and homeland and calls on them to prevent “foreign interference” in their affairs.