iraq

Baghdad on Edge After Israeli Strikes on Iran

Tensions rise in Baghdad as Israel targets Iran. With closed airspace, grounded passengers and fears of wider fallout, Iraq braces for impact. The US embassy has already begun withdrawing staff as uncertainty grips the capital.  

U.S. Embassies Brace for Evacuations Amid Escalating Regional Tensions

The United States is taking urgent steps to reduce its diplomatic and military presence in parts of the Middle East region as tensions continue to mount, with officials citing increasing security risks. "Based on our latest analysis, we have decided to reduce the footprint of our mission in Iraq," an anonymous U.S. official told AFP. A ...

President Aoun in Baghdad: Strengthening Lebanese-Iraqi Ties

President Joseph Aoun began an official visit to Iraq on Sunday, at the invitation of Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid, as part of efforts to strengthen strategic relations between the two countries. During a summit held at the Presidential Palace in Baghdad, both leaders reaffirmed the historical and fraternal ties uniting Lebanon and Iraq. The ...

US Says Supports Gas Deals with Kurdistan Region after Iraq Lawsuit

The United States said Tuesday it supported American energy companies' contracts with Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region after the Iraqi government filed a lawsuit against them. Regional Prime Minister Masrour Barzani announced the signing of the two deals valued at tens of billions of dollars during a visit to Washington, in which he met Friday ...

Iraq's Faces Lowest Water Reserves in 80 Years

Iraq's water reserves are at their lowest in 80 years after a dry rainy season, a government official said Sunday, as its share from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers shrinks. Water is a major issue in the country of 46 million people undergoing a serious environmental crisis because of climate change, drought, rising temperatures and declining ...

Iraq Seeks Deal to Swap Kidnapped Academic for Jailed Iranian

Baghdad is working on a deal to free kidnapped Israeli-Russian academic Elizabeth Tsurkov in exchange for an Iranian jailed in Iraq for murdering a US civilian, security sources said Saturday. The deal depends on US approval, the senior Iraqi security officials told AFP, asking to remain anonymous because the matter is considered ...

Weapons Smuggling to Lebanon Foiled at Iraq-Syria Border

A significant cache of weapons destined for Lebanon has been seized by Syrian security forces in the border region of Al-Boukamal, east of Deir Al-Zor, according to local sources cited by Houna Loubnan. The arms reportedly originated from Iraq. The seizure was the result of a large-scale security operation targeting an arms trafficking network ...

PKK Urges Turkey to Ease Leader's Solitary Confinement for Any Peace Talks

The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has said Turkey should ease prison conditions for its founder Abdullah Öcalan, declaring him the group's "chief negotiator" for any future talks after a decision to disband. The Kurdish group, blacklisted by Ankara and its Western allies, announced on May 12 it had adopted a decision to disarm and disband ...

Baghdad Declaration Calls for Gaza Ceasefire and Reconstruction

Arab leaders urged the international community Saturday to fund their plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip after U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated a proposal to take over the Palestinian territory. An Arab League summit in Baghdad said in its final statement that it urges "countries and international and regional financial institutions to provide ...

Salam at Arab Summit: Lebanon Turns a New Page

Lebanon has entered a new chapter in its history by restoring state sovereignty and recommitting to national reforms, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam declared Saturday at the 34th Arab League Summit in Baghdad, Iraq. “We meet today at a time when Lebanon has turned a new page in its history by restoring the state’s sovereignty over its entire ...