Fear of war's spread as US, Saudi Arabia hit Iran-backed fighters in Iraq

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https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/us-saudis-attack-iran-backed-groups-iraq-threatening-intensify-conflict-2026-07-29/

DUBAI/CAIRO, July 29 (Reuters) - The United States and Saudi Arabia jointly struck Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq on Wednesday, the first U.S. airstrikes ​in the Middle East since President Donald Trump suspended the U.S. bombing campaign against Iran last week.

Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces, powerful Iran-backed paramilitary groups incorporated into the Iraqi security forces, said at least 20 members were killed and 32 wounded in U.S.-Saudi strikes targeting several bases across Iraq.

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The deep ties between Iran ​and Iraq, the two biggest ⁠Shi’ite-majority countries

I mean…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion_in_Iran

Non-religious Iranians are officially unrecognized by the government, and one must declare oneself as a member of one of the four recognized faiths in order to avail oneself of many of the rights of citizenship.[9][10]

Citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran are officially divided into four categories: Muslims, Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians.

I feel like that kind of limits how meaningful it is to say that a given percentage of the population belongs to some religion in a state.


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