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ISHM: September 10 – 17, 2026
Key Takeaways: POLITICS: New U.S. Sanctions Target Family of Powerful Politician; Zaidi Signs New Energy, Defense Agreements in Paris and Berlin – On September 10, the U.S. Treasury Department announced new sanctions targeting several members of Kataib Hezbollah (KH), as well as Iraqi businessmen and companies, over their alleged role in supporting the activities of KH, Lebanese Hezbollah, and other groups linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force. Notably, the list includes two siblings of former Deputy Speaker of Parliament and senior Coordination Framework figure Mohsin al-Mandalawi, who allegedly used their Dubai-based company to move large sums of money from Iraq to Iran. On September 13, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi began an official two-day visit to Paris, heading a high-level Iraqi delegation to discuss strengthening relations with France. During the visit, Iraq and France signed six memoranda of understanding covering various sectors. The agreements included a letter of
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News and Features
Join Team EPIC in Support of the Iraqi Children Foundation’s Annual 5K
Join Team EPIC on August 29 at Burke Lake Park—or virtually from anywhere—for the Iraqi Children Foundation’s annual 5K supporting vulnerable children across Iraq.
Iraq’s Turbulent Season: War, Militias, and Political Change
The past several months have been among the most consequential Iraq has faced in years. Since the Iran war began on February 28, Iraq has been pulled deeper into a conflict it did not choose. Military confrontations have spilled onto Iraqi territory, while disruptions to oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz have exposed just how vulnerable Iraq’s economy remains to regional instability. At the same time, Iraq has undergone a major political transition. After six months of deadlock, intense
What Does the U.S.-Iran MOU Mean for Iraq?
By Omar Al-Nidawi The U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding signed last week at Versailles could mark a new opening in relations between Tehran and Washington after months of violent confrontation. However, its regional implications, particularly for Iraq, remain uncertain, and it is still too early to determine whether the agreement will ultimately benefit or harm the country. What is clear, however, is that while Iraq suffered significantly as a result of the conflict, the emerging settlement does not appear to address
Publications
Iraq Caught in the Middle: The Iran War’s Impact and What Comes Next
A temporary ceasefire in the Iran war has not stabilized Iraq. Instead, it has exposed the country’s structural vulnerability to external conflict and pressure—caught between the United States and Iran, with economic strain, disrupted oil exports, and militia activity amplifying internal fragility.
New Report Identifies Glaring Gap in Iraq’s Wastewater Management
Iraq faces a profound and growing shortage of clean water. Climate change, upstream damming, and rising demand are drastically reducing the volume of freshwater in the Tigris and Euphrates river systems—the nation’s hydrological lifelines. This physical scarcity is exacerbated by a largely unseen crisis: the large-scale contamination of these dwindling resources with untreated wastewater. Iraq’s extensive deficits in wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure, overwhelmed by population growth and decades of neglect, transform wastewater management from a mere environmental concern into
SIX YEARS AFTER TISHREEN: NEW REPORT ON IRAQ’S POPULAR MOVEMENT FOR REFORM
Six years after the Tishreen uprising shook Iraq’s political establishment, the popular struggle for reform continues. In October 2021, EPIC published The Long Game, a groundbreaking study on the birth of this movement. Today, as Iraqis prepare to head to the polls on November 11th, we are proud to release our latest report, which answers a critical new question: What is the state of the pro-reform movement today, and what are its prospects for the future? This report by EPIC