Soleimani

When the US assassinated Qassem Soleimani in January 2020, he was one of the most powerful men in Iran. The military spearhead for Iranian foreign policy, he enacted the wishes of the country's Supreme Leader, establishing the Islamic Republic as a major force in the Middle East. He masterminded interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen, supporting Iran's allies and campaigning against the Taliban, US forces, Israel and ISIS. But all this was a long way from where he began – on the margins of a country whose ruler was regarded as a friend of the West.

For decades, Iraq has been caught between the competing regional interests of the US and Iran. In the ultimate settling of scores, in 2020, the US assassinated Iran's senior commander, Qassem Soleimani, in Iran, leading to rising military tensions. But perhaps the biggest impact of Soleimani's death was on Iraqi Shias, traditionally supportive of Iran. With the heroic figurehead gone, even those with close religious and cultural ties to Iran began to question the extent of Iran's influence in their country, particularly through powerful Iran-backed Shia militia groups.

How three key figures in Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran built ruthless irregular warfare campaigns that are eroding American power.