Iraq

Iraq has summoned the United States’ ambassador to Baghdad to show anger at President Donald Trump's Wednesday recognition of Jerusalem al-Quds as the capital of Israeli regime.

Iraq’s top Shia cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has condemned a controversial decision by the United States to recognize Jerusalem al-Quds as the “capital” of Israel, saying the occupied city must return to its Palestinian owners.

Raghad Saddam Hussein, the daughter of former Iraqi dictator, has described the late Yemeni ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh as a “martyr”.

Secretary General of Iraq’s Badr Organization Hadi Al-Amiri has praised Iran for supporting Iraq in its fight against terrorism, saying without Iran’s contribution, the central government of Baghdad would have fallen apart.

Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government says it accepts the verdict by the Iraqi Supreme Court on the First Article of the country’s Constitution.

Millions of Shiite pilgrims from around the world annually visit Iraq on Arba’een, the world’s largest religious gathering which marks the fortieth day after the martyrdom anniversary of Imam Hussein (AS).

A source close to the Iraqi prime minister says Baghdad is not ready to host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and has decided to postpone his planned visit to the country.

An earthquake measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale has rattled Iran-Iraq border areas. The quake was so strong that it was felt in various parts of Iran, even in the capital city of Tehran.

The ISIS terrorist group’s leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was said to be killed earlier this year, has reportedly fled from Iraq to Syria in a yellow taxi in a bid to avoid drawing suspicion.

An Iranian analyst has weighed in on the roles Iraqi premier Haider al-Abadi and influential Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr are playing in Washington’s agenda of diminishing Iran’s influence in the region.

Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has called for the total annulment of the recent Kurdish secession referendum in northern Iraq, apparently rejecting the Kurdish leader’s recent decision to merely freeze the results of the unconstitutional vote.

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has arrived in the Iranian capital Tehran as the last leg of his regional tour.

The Iraqi Kurdistan has offered to suspend the results of its recent independence referendum in an effort to resolve a crisis in relations with Baghdad via dialogue rather than military means.

A top advisor to Iran’s Leader says the recent recapture of Kirkuk thwarted a plot to disintegrate Iraq, adding the days of the US’ presence and influence in the region are numbered.

A political analyst says the president of Kurdistan Regional Government, Masoud Barzani, has made the greatest profit from the oil-rich Kirkuk province over the past 14 years.

Iraqi government forces have established security over the northern city of Kirkuk after retaking contested territory from Kurdish militants.

Ali Akbar Velayati, an international advisor to Iran's Leader, has dismissed allegations of the Islamic Republic’s involvement in the Iraqi army’s operation to retake the oil-rich city of Kirkuk from Kurdish forces.

The Iraqi central government forces have retaken the Kurdish-held city of Kirkuk on Monday in an operation launched on Sunday in response to Kurdistan’s independence referendum.

Iraqi premier has reportedly appointed an Arab politician as the new acting governor of Kirkuk, which is the scene of conflict between Iraqi forces and Kurdish Peshmarga since the beginning of the central government’s operation to retake the oil-rich city.

Iraqi forces have taken full control of the largest airbase of Kirkuk, known as K1, after recapturing vast areas of the city from Kurds in an operation started on Sunday night.

While Iran’s nuclear deal is grabbing the international headlines, oil market experts are mainly concerned with the internal divisions in Iraq, particularly the conflict over the secession of Iraqi Kurdistan as the main element which can influence the global oil prices.

Iraqi central government in Baghdad has set a deadline for the Kurdish Peshmerga forces to leave and hand over the areas which had been under the control of the army before the ISIS attack.

Baghdad’s ban on the arrival and departure of foreign flights at/from Kurdistan airports has reportedly caused a loss of 50 to 60 thousand dollars a day.

The eldest son of late former Iraqi president, Jalal Talabani, has praised an Iranian medical team for their efforts to offer good services to his father during treatment period.

An Iraqi Vice President, after meeting with the President of the Kurdistan Region Masoud Barzani, has announced that he is ready to ignore the referendum results in return for the lifting of sanctions against Erbil.