Iraq news

Syrian military raises alert level amid movements near Iraqi border

It also remained unclear whether the military movements had affected border crossings or civilian and commercial traffic between the two countries.  

|ByRIZIK ALABI/THE MEDIA LINE
Cars and coaches line up at al-Tanf crossing on the border between Iraq and Syria, some 300 km southeast of Damascus March 20, 2003. Border traffic remained normal after the start of a U.S.-led attack on Iraq at dawn on Thursday, despite fears that there would be an influx of refugees.
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 forced to balance US, Iran relations after separate meetings with Trump, Iranian ambassador

Over the last decade, Iraq has been weakened from within because of Iranian-backed militias. Some of the militias have historical ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran.

|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Iranian Kurdish fighters from the Kurdistan Freedom Party, known as PAK take part in a training session at a base on the outskirts of Erbil, Iraq February 12, 2026.

Iran targets Kurdistan in regional escalation, spiking gas prices and tensions - analysis

Iran’s attacks on the Kurdistan Region come as the Iraqi prime minister has wrapped up his visit to the US.

|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
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's PM arrives in Washington as US presses Baghdad on Iran-backed militias - analysis

Iraq is already a kind of frontline between the US and Iran. After the US and Israel began strikes on Iran on February 28, the Iranians operationalized militias in Iraq.

|BySETH J. FRANTZMAN

Iraqi court bars Zebari from running for presidency - state media

The ruling was the court's final decision after it issued an initial ruling last Sunday suspending Zebari's candidacy while it looked into the corruption allegations.

FEBRUARY 13, 2022ByREUTERS
Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister Hoshyar Zebari speaks to Reuters in Baghdad September 11, 2014.

Iraqi court suspends former foreign minister Zebari's presidential bid

Hoshyar Zebari's presidential bid has been suspended as Iraq's federal court looks into financial and administrative corruption allegations.

FEBRUARY 6, 2022ByREUTERS
Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari speaks during a news conference with his Canadian counterpart in Baghdad September 3, 2014. Baird met with Iraqi officials during a surprise visit to Baghdad as Canada pledged further aid to support the Iraqi authorities in the fight against Islamic State.

Iraqi election: Votes counted after record low voter turnout

The turnout in Sunday's election was 41%, the electoral commission said. The lowest turnout was in Baghdad, with between 31% and 34%.

OCTOBER 11, 2021ByREUTERS
Iraq flag (illustrative).

Iraqis vote in general election with a low turnout reflecting the nation's apathy

For the first time since the US invasion in 2003, Iraqis are voting in a general election. Many have pledged to boycott, having lost faith in the democratic system.

OCTOBER 10, 2021ByREUTERS
An Iraqi woman shows her ink-stained finger after casting her vote at a polling station during the parliamentary election in the Sadr city district of Baghdad, Iraq October 10, 2021.

Iraqi speakers who called for peace with Israel face arrest

Some 300 Iraqi leaders convened to encourage normalization with Israel, prompting arrest warrants from an Iraqi court.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2021ByTOVAH LAZAROFF
People stand next to a Kurdistan flag as they wait for Pope Francis to hold a mass at Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil, Iraq, March 7, 2021.

Yazidis mourn genocide victims after bodies identified

It is believed almost 3,000 Yazidis are still missing.

FEBRUARY 8, 2021BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Yazidi activist Nadia Murad talks to people during her visit to Sinjar, Iraq December 14, 2018.

Two children killed in gas pipe blast near militia camp in Iraq

Some 51 people were injured in the explosion.

OCTOBER 31, 2020ByREUTERS
Excess gas is burnt off at a pipeline at the Zubair oilfield in Basra, Iraq August 9, 2017

Under attack and losing hope, Iraqi activists flee abroad

An Iraqi government spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.

OCTOBER 19, 2020ByREUTERS
Iraqi security forces push back demonstrators in anti-government protests during Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi's visit, in Basra, Iraq, July 15, 2020

‘The Americans are gone’: Iran happy US left Taji base

The base has been attacked a dozen times by rockets fired by pro-Iranian militias and three coalition personnel were killed there in March.

AUGUST 30, 2020BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
Iranian-backed militias stand on a tank close to the Syria-Iraq border

Murder of Iraqi commentator al-Hashimi is a blow for the region - analysis

In Iraq, media and commentators are still vulnerable to the language of the bullet rather than the language of debate.

JULY 7, 2020BySETH J. FRANTZMAN
A demonstrator carries an Iraqi flag as he walks near burning tires blocking a road during ongoing anti-government protests, in Baghdad, Iraq January 19, 2020.