A Democratic congressman who recently traveled to Iraq is warning that Iran is acting as a destabilizing force in that country.
“What’s become really clear is that Iran wants to be a major force in Iraq. And they’re willing to spend a lot of money to destabilize it and keep the whole thing going, and keep the region unstable,” Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) told The Hill in a recent interview. 
Ryan said he learned that Iran controlled about 45 of the news stations in Iraq, which broadcast anti-American messages.
Iran’s influence over Iraq grew after Saddam Hussein’s government was overthrown in the U.S.-led Iraq War.
The U.S. has pushed current Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi to undertake political reforms to allow for more Sunni autonomy and representation.
Ryan said he did see some signs of reform. 
“The prime minister wanted to completely retool his Cabinet because there was a huge protest outside of the compound and he is offering now to retool his Cabinet,” Ryan said.
“The fact that he said he was going to redo his Cabinet, I think, was a fairly good sign that he’s opening up and understanding that the Sunnis really have to have buy-in, and these chiefs and these Sunni leaders have to have buy-in,” he said.

Source: The Hill, April 6