Iraq’s Shiite parties are mired in a deep rift, one that has not been felt throughout the last 19 years. This split first came into the limelight during the anti-establishment protests which erupted in Oct. 2019. Divisions deepened further in the aftermath of Iraq’s most recent legislative elections, held in Oct. 2021. The ballot dealt a heavy blow to Iran's allies and to Shiite groups described as moderate, including those led by former prime minister Haidar Al-Abadi (2014-18) and Hikmah Movement chief Ammar Al-Hakim. The elections also saw the reemergence of the head of the State of Law bloc, ex-premier Nouri Al-Maliki (2006-14), onto the political scene. This is while the Sadrist Movement came out on top, outperforming its Shiite rivals....