Key Takeaways:

• POLITICS: Sudani in Tehran to Discuss Syria, Energy, Regional Conflict, and the Future of Iran-Backed Militias – On January 8, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani arrived in Tehran for meetings with Iran’s leaders, including President Pezeshkian, Supreme Leader Khamenei, and Speaker Ghalibaf. The talks focused on bilateral cooperation and coordination concerning regional developments, especially in Syria, as well as Gaza and Lebanon. The Iraqi delegation, which included senior security, trade, oil, electricity, and foreign affairs officials, reviewed progress in implementing prior bilateral agreements covering areas like railway linkage for pilgrims, border security, gas and electricity imports, and joint industrial cities. Speaking at a joint press conference with Pezeshkian, Sudani called for inclusive regional dialogue to build trust and “ensure peace and security for everyone,” offering to host an international conference for this purpose in Baghdad. Sudani noted that the stability of Syria is key to the stability of the entire region, advocating for a comprehensive political solution that preserves Syria’s independence and sovereignty while limiting external interventions. In remarks posted on X after meeting with Sudani, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei accused the U.S. of seeking to expand what he called its “illegal” military presence in Iraq. Khamenei also emphasized the need to increase efforts to “preserve and strengthen” the Popular Mobilization Forces, which he described as “a crucial component of power in Iraq.” Sudani’s visit to Tehran was preceded by a visit to Baghdad by Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani on January 5. According to news reports citing unnamed Iraqi sources, the Iranian general relayed to Sudani that Tehran was trying to protect itself and Iraq from further conflict with the U.S. and Israel. Qaani is said to have discussed with Sudani and other Iraqi leaders the possibility of restructuring some of the militias or limiting their armaments to avoid conflict in light of recent developments, including the regime change in Syria. In other developments, on January 7, a number of Sunni Arab political leaders announced the formation of a new political body called the “Coalition of United Sunni Leadership.” On January 8, Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council approved a request by the Electoral Commission’s board of commissioners to extend the board’s mandate for two years, ending on January 6, 2027. more…
• SECURITY: Hundreds of Sinjaris Join Local Police Force; Turkey Extends Sulaymaniyah Airport Ban; Iraq Reinforces Borders with Syria – On January 2, an Iraqi official said that nearly 1,400 residents of the Sinjar district have been recruited into the local police force as part of efforts to implement a 2020 agreement to normalize conditions in the contested district. The official, an adviser to Prime Minister Sudani for Yazidi affairs, said that more locals are being recruited into the force, without offering details about the timeline for the process. On January 6, officials at Sulaymaniyah’s international airport announced that Turkish authorities had extended a ban on flights to and from the airport for an additional six months. The flight ban was first imposed in April 2023, when Turkish authorities expressed concerns about security threats to civilian aviation arising from an alleged infiltration of airport security by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). On January 7, a senior Iraqi military spokesman said the country has completed 400 kilometers of a planned 615-kilometer concrete wall along the border with Syria. The remaining 215 kilometers are to be completed by mid-year, and Iraq plans to deploy additional security forces to the border, according to the official. In other developments, on January 2, the UNHCR said that Syrian refugees and other Syrian nationals were returning from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to Syria through the Faysh Khabur border crossing at a rate of 300–400 per day. On January 6, CENTCOM reported that one member of the Global Coalition’s forces in Iraq was killed during joint Iraqi-Coalition operations against ISIS militants in the Himrin Mountains. Two other Coalition personnel were wounded during the operations, which took place between December 30 and January 6. more…
• ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Iraq Announces New Customs, Banking Reforms; Funding Approved for Major Oil Pipeline Project – On January 1, Iraq’s General Customs Commission announced that it had transitioned from paper-based operations to the ASYCUDA computerized system as part of government reforms aimed at modernizing customs operations and increasing efficiency. On the same day, the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) announced the decommissioning of the electronic platform through which Iraqi banks used to purchase U.S. dollars to fund foreign transactions. The platform will be replaced by a system relying on accounts established at correspondent banks outside Iraq. The new system, which the CBI says creates a stable and secure financial framework in line with international standards, utilizes several foreign currencies in addition to the U.S. dollar, including the euro and yuan. On January 2, the Iraqi government approved an agreement between the Basra Oil Company and the Oil Projects Company for constructing a crude oil transportation pipeline between Basra and Haditha. The $4.5 billion project includes extending 685 kilometers of 56-inch pipeline with a capacity to transport up to 2.25 million barrels per day (bpd). The Basra-Haditha pipeline represents a crucial component of the planned Basra-Aqaba oil export pipeline, a long-delayed project that aims to diversify Iraq’s oil export routes by providing direct access to the Red Sea via Jordan. In other developments, on January 2, Iraq launched a project to build a new petroleum refining unit at the Salah ad-Din refinery complex in Baiji, with a capacity to process 70,000 bpd of crude oil into refined products. more…

For more background on most of the institutions, key actors, political parties, and locations mentioned in our takeaways or in the stories that follow, see the ISHM Reference Guide.

POLITICS: Sudani in Tehran to Discuss Syria, Energy, Regional Conflict, and the Future of Iran-Backed Militias

On January 1, security officials in Sulaymaniyah said the Asayish security agency shut down the offices of several organizations and businesses affiliated with the banned Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in the province. The sources said the closures implemented earlier judicial orders to  dissolve three political parties with ties to the banned PKK and took place as the operating licenses of the targeted organizations expired on December 31. In August, Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council issued an order to dissolve the Yazidi Freedom and Democracy Party, the Democratic Struggle Front Party and the Tevgera Azadi Party, on charges that their operations constitute a threat to Iraq’s national security. 

On January 6, Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said that Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein had a phone call with his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot, during which the French minister proposed the idea of holding a new meeting of the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership. The French minister suggested organizing the conference “as soon as possible” in order to address recent developments in the region, especially the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, a statement by the Foreign Ministry said. During the call, Hussein and Barrot briefed each other on their respective conversations with Syrian leaders, the statement added.

On January 7, Masrour Barzani, prime minister of the Kurdistan regional government (KRG) visited Ankara where he met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. Barzani’s talks in Ankara addressed bilateral relations and disputes between the KRG and federal Iraqi government, including the suspension of oil exports from the Kurdistan region via Turkey, according to a statement by Barzani’s office. The discussions also covered the situation in Syria, the need to restore peace and stability there, and preserving the rights of Syria’s different communities, the statement added. 

On January 7, a number of Sunni Arab political leaders announced the formation of a new political body called the “Coalition of United Sunni Leadership.” The group comprises parliament speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, Khamis al-Khanjar, Muthanna al-Samarraie, Ahmed al-Jubouri (Abu Mazin), and Ziyad al-Janabi. The group said in a statement that its goal is to represent Iraq’s Sunni Arab community and defend its political, legal, economic, and humanitarian rights. It is unclear whether Mashhadani’s participation is individual or is made on behalf of former speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi, who was a key backer of Mashhadani’s bid for the speakership.

On January 8, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani arrived in Tehran for meetings with Iran’s leaders, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Talks between the Iraqi delegation and Iranian officials discussed bilateral cooperation and coordination concerning regional developments, especially in Syria, to ensure security and territorial integrity, a government statement said. The meeting also addressed the ongoing war in Gaza and Iraq’s efforts to restore stability, the statement added. The Iraqi delegation, which included senior security, trade, oil, electricity, and foreign affairs officials reviewed progress in implementing prior bilateral agreements covering areas like railway linkage for pilgrims, border security, energy, and joint industrial cities. Speaking at a joint press conference with Pezeshkian, Sudani called for holding inclusive regional dialogue to build trust among regional actors and “ensure peace and security for everyone,” offering to host an international conference for this purpose in Baghdad. With regard to Syria, Sudani noted that stability of Syria is the key to the stability of the entire region, calling for a comprehensive political solution that preserves Syria’s independence and sovereignty and limits external interventions. More broadly, Sudani said the language of threats in international relations breeds more crises and tension, stressing that dialogue was the best way to resolve disputes between countries. In remarks posted on X (Twitter) after meeting with Sudani, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei accused the U.S. of seeking to expand what he called its “illegal” military presence in Iraq. Khamenei also emphasized the need to expend more efforts to “preserve and strengthen” the Popular Mobilization Forces, which he hailed as “a crucial component of power in Iraq.” Sudani’s visit to Tehran was preceded by a visit to Baghdad by Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani on January 5. According to news reports citing unnamed Iraqi sources, the Iranian general relayed to Sudani that Tehran was trying to protect itself and Iraq from further conflict. In his talks with Sudani and the commanders of Iran-backed Iraqi militias, Qaani is said to have discussed the possibility of restructuring some of the militias or limiting their armaments in an effort to avoid conflict with Israel or the United States in light of recent developments, namely the regime change in Syria. Qaani reportedly stressed to the militia commander that they should back the position of the Iraqi government, while informing Sudani that Tehran had no reservations regarding any decisions he might take concerning the future of the militias. These reports could not be confirmed.

On January 8, Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council approved a request by the board of commissioners of the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to extend the board’s mandate for two years ending on January 6, 2027. The decision is meant to ensure “holding parliamentary elections on time,” and avoiding “constitutional or legal vacuums”, correspondences between IHEC and the Supreme Judicial Council showed. The document explains that the decision was made after parliament failed to convene and address the IHEC board’s request to extend its mandate, which expired on January 6, 2025.

On January 8, a spokesman for the KRG said the regional government may decide to boycott the federal government if that latter continued to ignore KRG demands for regular and complete funding of public sector salaries and pensions in the Kurdistan region. The spokesman, Peshwa Hawramani, accused the Baghdad government of violating existing agreements and Federal Supreme Court orders regarding the payment of salaries. The dispute appears to be connected to the December salaries. News reports and Finance Ministry documents indicate that the latter has sent the KRG a total of more than IQD 441 billion to fund the region’s public sector payroll for December 2024. Meanwhile, the KRG argues that Baghdad did not send the full amount required for the previous month of November, causing a deficit that forced the regional government to use the latest payment earmarked for December to plug the shortage, PUKMedia reported. 

Sources cited in this section include: Rudaw, ISHM archive, al-Sumaria, NRT, PUKMedia, INA, Iraq’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, Iraqi PM’s office, Shafaq, Baghdad Today, Iran’s Supreme Leader’s office.

SECURITY: Hundreds of Sinjaris Join Local Police Force; Turkey Extends Sulaymaniyah Airport Ban; Iraq Reinforces Borders with Syria

On January 2, an Iraqi official said that nearly 1,400 residents of the Sinjar district in Ninewa province have so far been appointed to the local police force as part of efforts to implement a 2020 agreement to normalize conditions in the contested district. The official, an adviser to Prime Minister Sudani for Yazidi affairs, said that more locals are being recruited into the local police force, without offering details about the timeline for the process. The Sinjar Agreement, signed in October 2020 between the federal government and the KRG, provided for the recruitment of 1,000 residents and 1,500 displaced locals into new local security forces. The implementation of the agreement has faced much delay amid lingering disagreements between Baghdad and Erbil, and concerns among locals that their needs and views were not taken into consideration. 

On January 2, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said that Syrian refugees and other Syrian nationals were returning from the Kurdistan region of Iraq to Syria through the Faysh Khabur border crossing. According to the agency, a total of 984 Syrians, including 105 registered refugees, had returned from the Kurdistan region to Syria since the fall of Assad’s regime in early December. Additional returns continued at an average of 300 – 400 Syrians crossing into Syria each day, the update noted. An estimated 300,000 Syrian refugees have been living in the Kurdistan region in recent years. 

On January 6, officials at Sulaymaniyah’s international airport said that Turkish authorities have extended a ban on flights to and from the airport for an additional six months. The flight ban was first imposed in April of 2023, when Turkish authorities expressed concerns about security threats to civilian aviation arising from an alleged increase in activities by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in Sulaymaniyah and the PKK’s infiltration of airport security. The ban, initially imposed for 90 days, was last renewed in June 2024. A Kurdish member of the parliamentary transportation and communications committee described the extension of the Turkish flight ban as a politically-motivated decision, arguing that the airport was operating properly relying on local crews and posed no security threats. 

On January 6, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said that one member of the Global Coalition’s forces in Iraq was killed during joint Iraqi-Coalition operations against ISIS militants in the Himrin Mountains region. Two other Coalition personnel were wounded during the operations, which took place between December 30 and January 6, and were supported by airstrikes. The dead and injured were from Coalition members other than the U.S., CENTCOM said, without offering more details. 

On January 6, security sources in Ninewa province said that an improvised explosive device (IED) detonated near the village of Sheik Younis, west of Mosul. The explosion, attributed to a legacy device left from the war with ISIS, killed a 16 year old boy who was herding animals in the area. 

On January 7, a senior Iraqi military spokesman said the country has completed construction on 400 kilometers of a concrete wall on the border with Syria. The spokesman, major general Tahsin al-Khafaji, added that the remaining 215 kilometers of the planned 615 kilometer long wall will be completed by the middle of this year to effectively eliminate security gaps along the border. Khafaji also mentioned that there are plans to deploy additional security forces to the border, without offering further details. 

On January 9, Iraq launched a unified emergency reporting and response system within the Interior Ministry. The project will utilize 911 as a single emergency number replacing 26 different contact numbers that existed for various emergencies and services. The new system aims to provide streamlined and faster responses to incidents and emergencies, linking various departments within the Interior Ministry, along with other service and security ministries, a government statement said. The system includes 51 call centers across the country that will be staffed by crews proficient in the main languages used in Iraq.  

Sources cited in this section include: Rudaw, ISHM archive, UNHCR, Baghdad Today, al-Hurra, PUKMedia, CENTCOM, Shafaq, INA, Ultra Iraq.

ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Iraq Announces New Customs, Banking Reforms; Funding Approved for Major Oil Pipeline Project

On January 1, Iraq’s General Customs Commission announced that it has transitioned from paper-based operations to adopting the ASYCUDA system as part of government reforms aimed at modernizing customs operations and increasing efficiency. ASYCUDA, or the Automated System for Customs Data, is a computerized system that helps countries manage their customs operations more efficiently compared to outdated paper-based systems.

On January 1, the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) announced the decommissioning of the electronic platform through which Iraqi banks used to purchase U.S. dollars to fund foreign transactions. The platform will be replaced by a system relying on accounts established at correspondent banks outside Iraq. The system, which the CBI says creates a stable and secure financial system in accordance with international standards, utilizes several foreign currencies in addition to the U.S. dollar, including the euro, yuan, rupee, Saudi riyal, UAE dirham, and Jordanian dinar. The successful transition reflects the CBI’s commitment to reforming the country’s foreign currency transaction system, the bank added in a statement. 

On January 1, hundreds of people from al-Sadiq district in Basra province demonstrated outside the nearby West Qurna-1 oil field demanding job opportunities and better public services. The demonstrators complained that companies operating the prolific oil field, one of the largest in the world, employ thousands of foreign workers even as hundreds of locals with engineering degrees remain unemployed. The demonstrators also accused officials in the Basra Oil Companies of making false promises to the locals about providing hundreds of jobs. The protesters threatened to escalate their protests unless their demands are met within days.

On January 2, Iraq launched a project to build a new petroleum refining unit at the Salah ad-Din refinery complex in Baiji. The unit is designed with a capacity to process 70,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil into refined products. 

On January 2, the Iraqi government approved an agreement between the Basra Oil Company and the Oil Projects Company for the construction of a crude oil transportation pipeline between Basra and Haditha. The project, with an estimated cost of nearly IQD 6 trillion (approximately $4.5 billion) includes extending 685 kilometers of 56” pipeline with a capacity to move up to 2.25 million barrels per day (bpd), a government statement said. The Basra-Haditha pipeline represents a crucial component of the planned Basra-Aqaba oil export pipeline, a long-delayed project that aims to diversify Iraq’s oil export routes through direct access to the Red Sea via Jordan.

On January 8, Iran resumed supplying Iraq with 625 megawatts of electricity through three transmission lines. Iraq used to receive 1,200 megawatts through the three lines before power was cut by Iran nearly a month ago, a statement by Iraq’s Electricity Ministry said. Electricity supplies have been resumed as a result of “intense diplomatic efforts” made by the Iraqi delegation during Prime Minister Sudani’s visit to Tehran, the statement added. Discussions with Iranian officials also dealt with gas imports from Iran, which have been suspended since November, and arrangements to commence transporting gas from Turkmenistan to Iraq via Iran based on prior agreements.  

Sources cited in this section include: Mawazin, Shafaq, al-Sumaria, Iraq’s Oil Ministry, Rudaw, ISHM archive. 

Derived from firsthand accounts and Iraq-based Arabic and Kurdish news sources, the Iraq Security and Humanitarian Monitor is a free publication of the Enabling Peace in Iraq Center.

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