Iraq: Iran Strengthens its Position in the South?

The governor of Iraq's Basra province, Mohammed al-Waili, recently has backed away from anti-Iranian statements attributed to him in the media. These new comments from al-Waili, a member of an Iraqi Shiite party opposed to Iran, could be a sign that Tehran has neutralized a major obstacle to its plans for consolidating its hold in the Iraqi Shiite South. This could enhance Iran's bargaining position with the United States over Iraq.