It was a series of phone calls that were intercepted by the security services on a tense night last June that made the new Iraqi prime minister, Mustafa Al-Kazemi, realize his small number of friends.

Reuters says that in one of the calls - according to two Iraqi security officials - one of the prominent Iraqi leaders (with strong ties to Iran) instructed the security commander in the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad - where government buildings and foreign embassies are located - not to stand in the way of men. The angry armed factions who will storm the region because of the arrest of their colleagues accused of launching missiles targeting US interests.

The two security officials and two sources in the factions said that the factions detained a number of members of the counterterrorism force during the confrontation that lasted for hours.

Al-Kazemi during his meeting with leaders of the Popular Mobilization Forces months ago (Iraqi Press)

A security official said that he had seen the transcript of the call that took place on June 25, and that the commander associated with Iran had warned the commander of the Green Zone Protection Division, Major General Shehab al-Khaikani, that "a clash will open the gates of hell" between the factions and the forces guarding the area.

The second security official and two sources in the factions confirmed the call, and said that the faction leaders had asked al-Khaikani in further telephone conversations that night to avoid any confrontation with their fighters.

The two security officials said that Al-Kazemi, the former director of the intelligence service - who was present in the Green Zone that night - knew what had been going on in the talks a week later, after he opened an investigation into what had happened.

They added that what happened was a shock to him and a harsh lesson that revealed the extent of the influence of his opponents.

After that incident, al-Kazemi al-Khikani was removed from his post following the investigation, and he embarked on a widespread purge of senior positions in the State Security that is still continuing, especially after US pressure.

Careful Policy


Although Al-Kazemi has pursued a careful policy to loosen the grip of Iranian-backed factions on large sections of the Iraqi security forces since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003, security officials, faction leaders, senior politicians and Western diplomats say he is working in a difficult political reality that limits his ability to effect change.

They indicated that Al-Kazemi's approach may work, but they doubt his government's ability to make its mark before the general elections that are expected to take place next June.

Washington has threatened more than once to close its embassy in Baghdad if American interests continue to be targeted (Reuters)

Washington's threat


More recently, the prime minister found himself forced to deal with a threat from Washington to close the US embassy if he could not stop the missile attacks targeting the United States, and demands that the US forces be removed.

A Western diplomat said the Americans want Al-Kazemi to continue screening the leaders of the security services at a faster pace, and he says it cannot without overthrowing my government or sparking a civil war.

Iraqi government spokesman Ahmed Mulla Talal said that the prime minister has implemented many changes in the leadership of the security forces, but to expect a complete reform within 5 months is an unrealistic demand.

He added that the big measures that Al-Kazemi had taken could not be described as slow, due to the mismanagement of the security system by previous governments over the past 17 years.

He described the American talk about closing the embassy as a "worrying step for the Iraqi government," but added, "There is no pressure from any party to accelerate any step."

The team working with Al-Kazemi portrays him as a stubborn leader who spares no effort to eradicate outlaw groups, and his first bold steps were targeting the factions that had targeted American interests. Missiles on American targets.

Fighters - headed by the most senior leaders of the Hezbollah Brigades - cordoned off the Green Zone with pickup trucks equipped with weapons, and arrested members of the Counter-Terrorism Service.

To withdraw the faction fighters, Al-Kazemi was forced to resort to his opponents, so he called the same leaders and the great Iraqi leader who has ties to Iran, and he himself who later learned that al-Kazimi had asked al-Khikani not to move that night.

The factions' fighters did not leave until after obtaining guarantees that their colleagues would be released.

Over the following days, the detainees were released, and Kataib Hezbollah denied participating in any missile attacks on Western targets.

Al-Zuhairi during a military parade (social networking sites)

Appointments and appeasement


Al-Kazemi announced in recent months a series of new appointments in the armed forces and security services. Last month, he chose to succeed Al-Khaikani in the Green Zone Protection Command, an officer trained at the British Military Academy Sandhurst, Major General Hamid Al-Zuhairi.

Other key appointments made by Al-Kazemi included the reinstatement of CTS commander Abdul Wahab Al-Saadi - a popular figure - and Minister of Interior Othman Al-Ghanimi, both of whom are considered competent and have no political party affiliations.

However, Iraqi politicians and Western diplomats say that some of the appointments were appeasement of political parties, including groups that Al-Kazemi needs as a counterweight to confront the pro-Iran camp, and even some personalities who follow the Iranian approach.

The Western diplomat said, "Al-Kazemi is under tremendous pressure from all the political blocs that continue to insist on certain positions. He is trying to block them, but he cannot completely ignore them, so he was forced to accept appointments that he may not have wanted."

Required balance


Al-Kazemi was forced to make similar budgets abroad as well. During his first trip abroad - which he visited Tehran last July - he pledged not to allow Iraq to be used as a starting point for any aggression against Iran.

Iran stressed the departure of US forces from Iraq, and during a visit to Washington the following month, Al-Kazemi stressed the need for US forces for a long time to train Iraqi forces, in response to President Donald Trump's assertion that America will eventually leave Iraq, and that it will continue to reduce its remaining forces in Iraq. Iraq and its strength of 5 thousand soldiers.

One of the main US demands from Al-Kazemi is to keep the factions away from the Green Zone, and to stop the rocket attacks and IED explosions targeting diplomats and soldiers.