This last week major elections happened in the country of Iraq for their new Prime Minister and parliament. The election was key for multiple reasons. It was a rushed election due to youth protests in the countries south. The election also tested the influence of Iran and their Shia backed paramilitary groups. Iran since the fall of ISIS has been growing in the region as they look to expand their influence across the Middle East. Groups like the Popular Mobilization Force (PMF), Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria, and the Houthis in Yemen all enjoy Iranian support and backing as they too look to expand. The elections also looked to balance the issue of the mixed religion of the nation between Sunni and Shia and also the power of the Kurds in the north. The results were shocking but not unexpected. It showed the Iranian backed group losing most of their power in parliament and another Sunni nationalist winning. The protest movement actually encouraged a boycott of the election so their group completely was mostly shut out of parliament due to their own choice. With the loss of their main representation in parliament, the Iranian-backed military groups have threatened to take action and attack not only Iraq but also the UAE for what they see as the Gulf nation meddling in their affairs. The groups have gone so far to issue threats of a coup if the election is not changed. While the war-weary nation is still recovering from the war against ISIS a new war may be on the horizon if the Iranian backed groups are not appeased or dealt with. It will remain to be seen on this ends but it looks more and more like the fragile peace in the nation is close to being severed.