May 13 (Reuters) - Iran played a key role in a deal struck by Iraqi Shi'ite factions to end fighting in the Baghdad stronghold of cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, a senior Shi'ite Iraqi legislator said on Monday. While the deal is already under threat because of renewed clashes, the involvement of Iran in the talks underscored Tehran's growing influence in Iraq. Following is a factbox on Iraq's relationship with Iran: HOW INFLUENTIAL IS IRAN IN IRAQ? Iraqi officials acknowledge Iran has a lot of influence in the country, partly through its ties with Shi'ite politicians and parties that were based in Iran for years during the rule of Saddam Hussein, a Sunni Arab. Iran has a full-fledged embassy in Baghdad, unlike Sunni Arab states that have only low-level ties. Iran showed its influence by helping to end fighting in the southern city of Basra in late March between Sadr's Mehdi Army militia and Iraqi security forces. It did so again when a delegation from Iraq's ruling Shi'ite alliance that went to Tehran two weeks ago sought Iranian help to stop the fighting in Sadr City. A senior member of the Iraqi delegation, legislator Ali al-Adeeb, said the request was made because of Tehran's influence over the anti-American cleric's movement. Sadr is believed to be living in Iran, where he is taking advanced Islamic studies. A Western diplomat in Tehran said he believed Iran's role in Iraq was "really deep". But the aim was to make life difficult for Washington, not for the Shi'ite-led government, he said. WHAT ABOUT THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST IRAN? Washington accuses Iran of funding, training and arming Shi'ite militias, particularly "rogue" elements of Sadr's Mehdi Army. It says these operations are led by Iran's Qods force, a wing of the Islamic Republic's ideological Revolutionary Guards. Iran denies the charges. The U.S. military said this month it had "multiple" detainees in custody who say the Iranian-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah is providing training near Tehran for Iraqi militants. The military said the camps near Tehran were run by the Qods force. U.S. officials have stepped up their rhetoric against Iran since Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki cracked down on militias in Basra in late March. That offensive led to the discovery of what the U.S. military calls "very, very significant" amounts of Iranian weaponry. WHAT IS THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT'S VIEW? Some Iraqi officials seem genuinely perplexed about Iran's intentions. One said recently that Iran needed to make up its mind. "It's either Maliki and this present day leadership of Iraq or these militias. It cannot have them both," he said. The government said early this month Maliki had ordered the formation of a committee to compile evidence of Iranian "interference" in Iraq that would then be presented to Tehran. A U.S. military official has said there had been a "sea change" in Baghdad's view of Iranian activity in Iraq since discovery of the new weapons, especially after Iran assured Maliki last year when he visited Tehran that it would help to stabilise Iraq. But Iraq has also insisted it does not want to get caught in a proxy war between Tehran and Washington, arch foes who are also embroiled in a dispute over Iran's nuclear ambitions. WHAT IS THE IRAQ-IRAN HISTORY? Iran and Iraq fought an eight-year war in the 1980s in which hundreds of thousands were killed. But ties have improved since Saddam was ousted in the U.S.-led invasion and a Shi'ite-led government came to power in Baghdad. Iraq is an Arab nation while Iran's roots are Persian. Both countries have majority Shi'ite populations. Iranian officials have called for the withdrawal of U.S. and other foreign troops who they blame for destabilising Iraq. Iran regularly voices support for Maliki's government. (Writing by Dean Yates, Editing by Samia Nakhoul)
A portrait of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is planted on soil and rock barricade set by Sunni Muslim gunmen to block the main road to Syrian borders in the Masna'a ...
