Analysis-Iraqi voters spurn Iran's allies, but Tehran could still fight for clout

A girl walks near a poster depicting Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, whose party was the biggest winner in initial election results, in the Sadr City district of Baghdad, Iraq October, 12, 2021. REUTERS/Wissam Al-Okaili

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraqi voters delivered a sharp rebuke to Iran's allies in an election this week, but loosening the grip of Shi'ite militia from control of the state will still be a politically delicate goal, with the threat of violence always in the background.

The main winner of the election was Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, a populist who has positioned himself as a staunch opponent of both Iran and the United States.