NAJAF, Iraq, April 23 (UPI) -- Najaf is the center of Shiite Islam in Iraq, and with its clerics split between politics and the gun, if it turns violent the rest of the south may follow suit.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- At a time when the United States is widely regarded in the Middle East as a military aggressor, and faces plummeting popularity around the world, Iran is taking advantage of those military adventures to boost its own image and forge closer ties to its neighbors.

BAGHDAD, March 8 (UPI) -- Iraqi Shiites and Sunnis agree on one thing -- the big winner so far in the bitter sectarian strife in their country is Iran.

NAJAF, Iraq, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- The major weekend military offensive Iraqi and U.S. troops staged in Najaf uncovered a cult that was reportedly planning to assassinate senior Shiite clerics.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- U.S. policy in the Middle East faces new challenges as the minority Shiite Muslims experience a resurgence of influence, a report says.