On Thursday, the United States imposed sanctions on Ali Maarij al-Bahadli, the deputy oil minister of Iraq, accusing him of using his position to divert Iraqi oil to support the Iranian regime. According to State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott, al-Bahadli participated in a scheme that fraudulently mixed Iranian oil with Iraqi oil to evade U.S. sanctions against Iran. This action is part of the U.S. strategy to pressure Iraq's incoming government to distance itself from Iranian influence, particularly in light of ongoing tensions following numerous attacks on U.S. facilities in Iraq by armed groups allegedly linked to Iran. The U.S. has been urging Iraq to take decisive actions against these groups before resuming full cooperation. This situation reflects the complex relationship between Iraq and Iran, particularly since the U.S. invasion in 2003, which led to significant shifts in power dynamics within Iraq.