Key Takeaways:
Court Dismisses Case Against Former Speaker’s Party; Top Iranian General In Baghdad Calling For More Security Cooperation – On December 3, the Electoral Judicial Committee in Iraq dismissed a case that was filed by a prominent Sunni Arab political party calling for the removal of the Taqaddum party… Read more
Key Takeaways:
New U.S. Sanctions Target Militias; PM Rejects Resignations of Three Ministers; Election of New Speaker Delayed; KDP Returns to Kirkuk – On November 17, the U.S. State and Treasury Departments imposed new sanctions against the Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada and Kataib Hezbollah militias over their role in attacking U.S.… Read more
Key Takeaways:
Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court Removes Parliament Speaker Halbousi From Office – On November 14, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court issued a ruling, final and not subject to appeal, terminating the tenure of parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi. The ruling was in response to charges filed by Laith al-Dulaimi, a former… Read more
Key Takeaways:
Blinken’s Visit Met Brazen Kataib Hezbollah Threat; Sudani In Tehran For Talks With Khamenei – On November 5, Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Baghdad for talks with PM Mohammed al-Sudani, which Blinken said were “good, productive, candid.” Blinken said his two goals were to ensure the security… Read more
Key Takeaways:
Government Rejects Sadr’s Call To Expel The U.S. Ambassador; Militia Commander Says Decision Has Been Made To Fight U.S. Forces – On October 27, Muqtada al-Sadr called on the Iraqi government and parliament to close the U.S. embassy in the country over Washington’s support for Israel. Sadr, however,… Read more
Key Takeaways:
Militia Group Slams Sudani For Condemning Attacks On U.S. Forces; Total of 461 Candidates Barred From The Upcoming Provincial Election – On October 23, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, one of the powerful Iran-backed militias in Iraq, criticized PM Sudani for condemning the recent wave of attacks on U.S. forces… Read more
Key Takeaways:
Speaker Halbousi Wants Accountability Commission Disbanded As More Candidates Face Disqualification; Former PM Calls For Expulsion Of U.S., NATO Forces – On October 16, IHEC officials said they disqualified 259 candidates in the upcoming provincial elections. The majority (203) were disqualified because of ties to the banned Baath… Read more
Key Takeaways:
Iraqi Militias Threaten Attacks On U.S. Interests If Washington Intervenes In Israel-Hamas Conflict; PM Sudani Meets Putin In Moscow – On October 9, Hadi al-Amiri, the senior leader in the Coordination Framework and commander of the powerful Badr militia, threatened to target U.S. interests if Washington decided to… Read more
Key Takeaways:
Iran Says Iraq Implemented “Parts” Of Their Border Security Agreement; Sudani To Visit Moscow Next Week- On October 2, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said that Iraqi authorities had fulfilled “some parts” of the border security agreement signed in March for the disarming and relocation of Iranian opposition groups away… Read more
Key Takeaways:
Court Ends The Term Of Kurdistan’s Provincial Councils; Bafel Talabani Reelected As PUK Leader; Ruling Coalition Affirms Respect For Kuwait’s Sovereignty – On September 24, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court issued a ruling that ended the term of the provincial councils in the Kurdistan region. The Court said it… Read more
