Iraq

Trump intervenes in Iraq politics, warns Maliki comeback could repeat past mistakes

He was ousted in 2014 as Iraq fell into chaos, but has spent the last decade regaining power, recently winning support from key Shi’ite factions.

JANUARY 28, 2026|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN

Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki reacts at a polling station inside Al-Rasheed Hotel during the parliamentary election in Baghdad, Iraq, November 11, 2025.

Trump says US won't help Iraq if it picks Maliki as prime minister

In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that reinstalling Nouri al-Maliki would be a "very bad choice" for Iraq.

JANUARY 27, 2026|ByREUTERS

A soldier in an ISIS uniform prepares ammunition.

ISIS numbers grow as Syrian instability continues, Iraq warns

In the rare interview, al-Shatri said Iraqi intelligence estimates suggest that ISIS’s presence in Syria has grown from roughly 2,000 fighters a year ago to as many as 10,000 terrorists today.

JANUARY 27, 2026|ByASHER SMITH

Reported footage of Iranian security forces suppressing the Iranian protests

Kataib Hezbollah calls on supporters to prepare for conflict with Israel

The statement is the latest example of how Iranian-backed militias in Iraq are continuing to threaten Israel, the US, and the region.

JANUARY 26, 2026|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN

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.

NOVEMBER 12, 2025BySETH J. FRANTZMAN

Iraqi polling officials count ballots at a polling station after closing of the polls during the country's parliamentary election in Al-Muhandiseen district in eastern Baghdad on November 11, 2025.

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.

NOVEMBER 11, 2025BySETH J. FRANTZMAN

PROTESTERS, MOSTLY Houthi supporters, sit along an Iranian flag at a demonstration in support of Palestinians and Iran, in Sanaa last week. Aggression by proxies such as the Houthis must be treated as direct Iranian attacks, says the writer.

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.

NOVEMBER 10, 2025ByTHE MEDIA LINE STAFF

An Iraqi female security member votes at a polling station during a special voting, two days before the polls open to the public in a parliamentary election, in Najaf, Iraq November 9, 2025.

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.

NOVEMBER 10, 2025ByERIC R. MANDEL

IRAQ’S PRIME MINISTER Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani (left) meets with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran earlier this year. Israeli officials warn that Iranian-controlled Iraqi militias are regaining strength, the writer notes.

'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.

NOVEMBER 5, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Israeli-Russian hostage Elizabeth Tsurkov over a backdrop of Iraqi and Israeli flags.

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.

NOVEMBER 5, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF