In an article published in the Financial Times today Najmeh Bozorgmehr described two ways in which Iran benefits from the US presence in Iraq, despite its constant demands that the US withdraw. She says Iran has benefited from the removal of Saddam Hussein because this has improved Iran's regional standing and brought success to the Iranian project to advance Shia political objectives in Iraq. Iran also benefits from the US presence because this presence acts as a buffer between Iran and its Sunni adversaries in the Arab world, who would feel compelled if the US were not in Iraq to increase support for Sunni opponents of Iran's Shia proxies in Iraq. Read the article here.