Iran: March 6, 2003

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Iranian Islamic radicals, who support Iraqi Shia rebel organizations with bases in Iran, have urged these Shias to oppose any American military government in the wake of an invasion. The Iranian Islamic radicals would like to establish a Shia dominated Islamic government in Iraq. This is unlikely, but it is possible for their to be a Shia dominated government (Shia are 60 percent of Iraq's population) and the Iranian Islamic radicals want a major say in how things are run. Unfortunately, many Iraqi Shias do not trust Iranian motives, particularly those of Iranian Islamic radicals. This means there will be tension, and likely violence, between pro and anti Iran Shia factions within Iraq.