The results of the 2021 Iraqi elections were, at first glance, somewhat surprising. The Sadrist movement secured a sweeping victory while the pro-Iran wing within the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), which ran under the banner of the Fatah Alliance, lost over 70 percent of the seats they held in the previous parliament. The elections came on the heels of mass protests by citizens hailing from Shiite areas, previously a stronghold for supporters of Iran. The demonstrators denounced corruption, social injustice, and Iranian influence. Iranian consulates were subject to arson attacks, while pro-Iranian militias brutally cracked down on protesters (with over 600 killed) and kidnapped and threatened activists. Now possible unrest may once again loom on the horizon due to Iraqi political haggle over the formation of the new government, with Sadr previously stating he wanted to sideline pro Iran factions. The Iran camp is once again expected to use the threat of violence to get a place in government, and if this doesn’t work, put pressure on any government that excludes them.