Iraq
Trump’s Maliki message underscores Iraq’s growing strategic risk, won't back him as PM - analysis
Maliki was last in charge in 2014, when ISIS took over part of Iraq. He spent years in the wilderness before returning to the spotlight.
BLA attacks expose growing instability in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan region - analysis
US special envoy for Iraq Mark Savaya no longer in the post, sources say
Iranian-backed militias in Iraq declare support for regime in case of war against US
Kurdistan’s security architecture recast as Peshmerga unification continues
The Kurdistan region has its own armed forces, the Peshmerga. Among the largest units are the KDP and PUK, which each have tens of thousands of fighters.
Iraqi PM-led coalition tops Iraq election with 46 seats, commission says
Prime Minister Sudani's bloc wins Iraq's election, but forming a new government may take months due to challenges in building a majority and balancing US-Iran influence.
PKK’s partial withdrawal from Turkey raises questions about peace deal - analysis
The Kurdistan Workers' Party’s decision to pull back from the Turkish border raises hopes for peace but leaves crucial questions about its future actions in Iraq, Syria, and beyond.
Iran ramps up anti-West rhetoric, expands influence in Iraq and Lebanon - analysis
Iran is strengthening ties with allies in Iraq and Lebanon while accusing the US and Israel of coercive diplomacy in its latest regional push.
After elections, Iraq walks a tightrope between US ties and Iran’s control - analysis
Iraq’s recent election saw 329 seats contested along sectarian lines. The outcome will impact the US-Iraq security arrangement and address the growing power of Iran-backed militias.
Iran engages in diplomatic blitz, strengthening ties with Iraq, Uzbekistan, UAE - analysis
Amid tensions with Israel and the US, Iran is ramping up diplomacy to build a "multipolar order," strengthening ties with Iraq, the UAE, and Uzbekistan to safeguard its regional influence.
Iraq wraps up early voting as country braces for pivotal parliamentary elections
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani called the vote decisive for the country's long-term direction, as it comes amid political splintering, voter fatigue, and realignments among key factions.
US must keep Iraq central as Iran rebuilds its Ring of Fire - opinion
If Iran and its proxies are quiet, it is strategic, not surrender.
'Kataib Hezbollah used me as a punching bag,' Tsurkov says in first interview since release
Tsurkov was beaten “senseless”, hung from the ceiling, and electrocuted, according to the New York Times.
5,000-year-old building found in Kani Shaie, Iraq, reshapes view of Uruk-era networks
Researchers say verifying the structure's monumentality could transform understanding of early Mesopotamian exchange, revealing how sites like Shaie linked distant regions.
