Ghassan Ashour, an analyst of Middle East affairs, said the Iraqi government, given the difficulty of disarming armed groups close to the Islamic Republic, including Kataib Hezbollah, is trying to reduce the influence and power of these groups by pursuing the oil smuggling case in the Jurf al-Sakhr area.

Ghassan Ashour, an analyst of Middle East affairs, said the Iraqi government, given the difficulty of disarming armed groups close to the Islamic Republic, including Kataib Hezbollah, is trying to reduce the influence and power of these groups by pursuing the oil smuggling case in the Jurf al-Sakhr area. According to him, exposing the illegal activities of these groups could reduce political support for them and provide the groundwork for disarming them or limiting their presence in certain areas.

Ashour added that the Iraqi prime minister, despite political ties to an alliance in which groups close to Tehran are also present, has more room to maneuver after being elected to power. He said that the proceeds from oil smuggling do not only benefit Iraqi armed groups, and that some officials in Iran and Turkey also profit from this network.