Iraq

UK-Iraq London Talks to Mark 'New Era'

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosts his Iraqi counterpart Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Tuesday for talks on trade, security and migration hailed by Baghdad as marking a "new era" for the countries' ties. The Iraqi prime minister's visit to London, during which he will also meet King Charles III, comes more than 20 years after Britain took ...

Iran President Urges Israeli Withdrawal from Syrian Territory

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday called for the withdrawal of Israel from Syrian territory following the fall of long-time Tehran ally Bashar al-Assad. His remarks came during a visit to Tehran by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani where discussions covered topics such as trade, cooperation, and recent developments in ...

Iraqi Kurdish City Bans Groups Accused of PKK Links

Authorities in the Iraqi Kurdish city of Sulaimaniyah have banned four organizations accused of affiliation with the Turkish-blacklisted Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), activists said Thursday, denouncing the move as "political". The four organizations include two feminist groups and a media production house, according to the METRO center for ...

Syria's Ahmad al-Sharaa Meets with Iraqi Intelligence Chief

Syrian official Ahmad al-Sharaa met with Iraqi intelligence chief Hamid al-Shatri, who was sent as an envoy by the Iraqi prime minister. The meeting, as reported by the General Command, also saw the participation of Syrian Foreign Minister Assad Hassan al-Shaibani and the newly appointed head of Syrian intelligence, Anas Khattab. The discussions ...

Iraq's Prohibition Zeal Threatens Baghdad's Boozy Subculture

The smell of dampness rises through the dust at a private club in central Baghdad, one of many shut in a crackdown on alcohol sales in Iraq. "We appealed to all authorities in the country, but no one listened to us," said the owner, a Christian who asked not to be named. Although a law banning the sale and import of alcohol was passed in 2016 ...

Blinken on ME Tour: Pledges to Work with Iraq Against IS Jihadists

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken promised Friday to work with Iraq to ensure no resurgence of the Islamic State group after Bashar al-Assad's overthrow in neighboring Syria. On a regional tour devoted to a suddenly-changed Syria, the top US diplomat flew to Baghdad from the Turkish capital Ankara and headed into talks with Iraqi Prime ...

Is Democracy Possible in the Arab World?

The Assad family, more accurately known by the name "Al-Wahesh" (the savage), has surpassed all limits of hatred and brutality. After the dictator and his cronies fled, the world, horrified, discovered the full extent of the crimes against humanity that had been the norm in a country left in ruins. In Lebanon, we have long known, through our own ...

Iran, Iraq Join Syria in Warning Rebel Advance Threatens Whole Region

Iran and Iraq issued a joint statement with Syria on Friday warning that sweeping rebel gains at the expense of President Bashar al-Assad's forces posed a danger to the whole region. "Threats against Syria's security constitute a danger for the stability of the region," said the statement issued after a meeting of the three countries' foreign ...

Iraqi Cleric Sadr, Rebel Leader Jolani Call for Iraq's Non-Intervention in Syria

Influential Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr urged his country Thursday to stay out of the fighting in neighbouring Syria triggered by a lightning rebel offensive launched last week. Sadr stressed in a post on X the "necessity of Iraq's government, people, parties, militias, and security forces not getting involved in the Syrian issue," urging ...

Iraqi Armed Group Calls on Baghdad to Deploy in Support of Assad

Iraq's powerful Iran-aligned Kataeb Hezbollah armed group has called on Baghdad to send troops to Syria to support the Damascus government against a rebel offensive. Kataeb Hezbollah, or Hezbollah Brigades, made the appeal in a statement shared on pro-Iranian Telegram channels late Monday. Excerpts were also posted on its official website. The ...

Iraq Deploys Armored Vehicles to Border With Syria

Iraq sent armoured vehicles on Monday to reinforce its long border with Syria, in a bid to ease concerns after a surprise offensive in the neighboring country by Islamist-led insurgents. The lightning offensive by Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group and allied factions saw government forces lose full control of Syria's second city ...

Iraq to Debate Revised Bill After Underage Marriage Outcry

Iraq's parliament will review contentious legal amendments Sunday, including a reworked family law bill that has sparked civil society outrage over fears of a resurgence in underage marriages. The proposed amendments would let people choose between religious or state regulations for family matters, such as marriage, inheritance, divorce and ...