Iraq

Is a new insurgency brewing? Kurdish rebels clash with IRGC in major border escalation - analysis

Tasnim News, which is an IRGC-affiliated network, reported that “two members of Iran’s IRGC were killed and two others were injured in an ‘armed terrorist attack.'"

Kurdish fighters from the People's Protection Units (YPG) run across a street in Raqqa, Syria, July 3, 2017.
Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi speaks during a parliamentary session to vote in a new government headed by Ali al-Zaidi as prime minister, at the parliament headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, May 14, 2026.

Iraq launches sweeping anti-corruption crackdown, detains dozens of officials

Iranian Kurdish fighters from the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) take part in a training session at a base on the outskirts of Erbil, Iraq February 12, 2026.

Katz's position on Mossad's Kurds vs Iranian regime plan unclear after conflicting statements

TOPSHOT-IRAN-US-ISRAEL-WAR TOPSHOT - An woman walks past a billboard displaying Iran's national flag at Enghelab Square in Tehran on June 14, 2026. US President Donald Trump said that a deal with Iran to end the Middle East war could be signed on June 14, and that the strategic Strait of Hormuz woul

Middle East nears regional chaos again as Trump threatens Iran, Iraqi raids escalate tensions


Iraqi security forces target political ‘corruption’ in Baghdad Green Zone raids

The Green Zone includes Baghdad's parliament building, various government institutions, and embassies, with many politicians also having residences in the area.

Security is stationed outside the US Embassy is seen in Baghdad's fortified "Green Zone" on March 17, 2026.

Iran's Araghchi heads to Iraq as rumors swirl in Baghdad over Green Zone raid

Iraq has been trying to rein in some Iranian-backed militias, with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi seeking to show that he can rein in chaos in the country.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives for a bilateral meeting with Switzerland's counterpart at the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026.

Will Iraq finally help protect Kurdistan's oil fields from drone attacks? - analysis

For Iraq, it doesn’t seem to matter if the Kurdistan Region is attacked, because then the region can’t sell oil or provide itself with gas for electricity.

Members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran (KDPI) participate in a military drill in an outpost near Erbil, Kurdistan region of Iraq on January 15, 2026.

Iraq in transition: Baghdad pushes weapons monopoly amid reforms - analysis

Iraq’s new leadership is pledging state control over weapons, but questions remain over whether Baghdad can rein in powerful Iran-backed militias.

Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi speaks during a parliamentary session to vote in a new government at the parliament headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, May 14, 2026.

Voices from the Arab press: Elon Musk, the world's first trillionaire

A weekly selection of opinions and analyses from the Arab media around the world.

ELON MUSK, SpaceX CEO speaks via videolink on the day of SpaceX’s IPO, at the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York City, June 12.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards set up covert Iraqi cells to attack Gulf neighbors, sources say

Three or four cells, each comprising about 10 elite Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim fighters, launched at least seven drone attacks from desert locations near the southern cities of Basra and Samawa.

Members of the Iraqi armed group Kataib Hezbollah attend the funeral of their members, who were killed in an airstrike that targeted a Hashd al‑Shaabi headquarters near the western al‑Qaim district on the Syrian border, amid the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, in Baghdad, Iraq, March 2, 2026.

Middle East reroutes its energy networks as region navigates shifting sands - analysis

Investments in new pipelines and energy products will be a key feature in the new regional order.

Gas flares burn at the Rumaila oil field during an armed patrol by Iraqi Energy Police in Basra, Iraq, June 8, 2026.

How Houthis militarized Ibb province in Yemen into their armed camp - analysis

While Hezbollah and Hamas have suffered blows, the Assad regime has fallen, and militias in Iraq are under pressure, the Houthis remain steadfast in Yemen.

HOUTHI TERRORISTS carry weapons as they stand near the site of Israeli airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, in September. Iran has reportedly lost control of the Houthis, the writer notes.

US envoy Barrack meets Iraq PM, pushes new direction in bilateral ties

US envoy Tom Barrack met Iraq’s leadership in Baghdad, discussing security, militias, and economic cooperation as Washington pushes a “new direction” in bilateral ties.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi meets with US Special Presidential Envoy Tom Barrack in Baghdad, Iraq, June 16, 2026.

Syria, Iraq hope for meetings in Washington, seek coordinated visit with US envoy

While al-Sharaa's meeting is unconfirmed, it could still happen. The Trump administration will want to end the Iran conflict and get a deal while trying to show it can stabilize Iraq and Syria.

New Iraqi Prime Minister designate Ali al-Zaidi, uses a phone at his office in Baghdad, Iraq, April 28, 2026.