Key Takeaways:

• • POLITICS: Federal Supreme Court Promises Reforms Under New Chief Judge; Sudani, President Rashid to Push Parliament to Ratify Kuwait Treaty – On July 7, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court (FSC) convened its first formal meeting since the retirement of former chief judge Jasim al-Omairi and the appointment of Judge Munthir Hussein as his successor. Following the meeting, the court’s nine judges issued a six-point statement emphasizing several principles, including: adherence to the FSC’s constitutional role without expansion; preservation of judicial independence and resistance to political interference; neutrality toward political parties; noninterference in legislative and executive functions; a limited role in electoral disputes as defined by the constitution; and seeking consultations with constitutional law experts to enhance the court’s performance. On July 8, Iraq’s president, prime minister, and parliament speaker met to discuss legal and political disputes over a bilateral treaty with Kuwait concerning the maritime border in the Khor Abdullah channel. A statement from Prime Minister Sudani’s office said that he, President Abdullatif Rashid, and Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani agreed that parliament should take steps to ratify the treaty in accordance with a 2023 FSC decision, which invalidated parliament’s initial ratification of the 2013 treaty. Sudani and Rashid will withdraw their motions to repeal the FSC decision in favor of resolving the issue through legislative means. more…
  • SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: New Drone Attacks Target Kurdistan as Clashes with Tribe Rock Erbil; First PKK Fighters Lay Down Arms – Between July 3 and 11, three explosive drone attacks targeted Erbil International Airport, a Peshmerga headquarters in Sulaymaniyah, and Peshmerga positions in the Altun Kupri area of Kirkuk. All drones were intercepted. While no group has claimed responsibility, Kurdish officials accused Iraqi militia factions of orchestrating the attacks. These incidents followed a wave of strikes last week that hit various civilian and military sites—including an IDP camp—in Kirkuk, Duhok, Baiji, and Sulaymaniyah. On July 9, heavy clashes broke out between members of the Harki tribe and Peshmerga forces in Erbil’s Khabat district, leaving at least four dead and a dozen injured. Local reports said the fighting stemmed from land and water disputes. After mediation by senior Peshmerga and political leaders, the sides reportedly agreed to a ceasefire, under which Peshmerga forces would withdraw and the Harki leader would turn himself in. On July 11, 30 PKK fighters laid down their arms in Sulaymaniyah during a ceremony marking the start of the group’s disarmament after four decades of insurgency. Officials from the KRG, Iraq’s federal government, and international observers—including from Turkey—attended. The PKK said the move was “a gesture of goodwill and a commitment to the practical success” of peace efforts with Turkey. A second disarmament event is expected in the coming days, according to Iraq’s state news agency. The ceremony follows the PKK’s May announcement that it would disband and end its armed struggle—months after its imprisoned leader, Abdullah Ocalan, urged the group to do so. In other developments, on July 10, security forces in Basra arrested a local activist who had called for protests and criticized government officials over their handling of the ongoing water shortage in the province. more…
  • ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Iraq Boosts Oil Refining Capacity with New Projects; Trump Imposes 30% Tariffs on Iraq – On July 9, Iraq’s Oil Ministry inaugurated a project to expand the Najaf refinery’s capacity from 30,000 to 100,000 barrels per day (bpd). Officials said the work should be completed within eight months. Earlier this week, the government also launched an $800 million project to boost the Diwaniyah refinery’s capacity from 20,000 to 90,000 bpd. Both projects involve building new refining units capable of processing 70,000 bpd of crude oil at each site. Also on July 9, U.S. President Donald Trump sent a letter to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani announcing a new 30% tariff on all Iraqi products entering the U.S., effective August 1. Trump cited the need to address a “major trade imbalance” and accused Baghdad of failing to apply reciprocal trade principles. An economic adviser to Sudani played down the move, saying most Iraqi exports to the U.S. are crude oil—exempt from tariffs. In other developments, on July 6, Turkey extended its ban on flights to and from Sulaymaniyah International Airport for another three months. The original flight ban, imposed in April 2023, was linked to PKK activity and ongoing security concerns. 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: Federal Supreme Court Promises Reforms Under New Chief Judge; Sudani, President Rashid to Push Parliament to Ratify Kuwait Treaty

On July 4, news reports described a failed attempt by members of the Baghdad provincial council to replace governor Abdulmuttalib al-Alawi amid infighting within the State of Law bloc, of which Alawi and his rival were both members. On that day, the provincial council had voted to replace Alawi with council member Haider Mohan. Within hours, the State of Law bloc succeeded in overturning the earlier vote, reinstating Alawi as governor, and firing Mohan from its ranks. After his return to office, Alawi dismissed the vote that briefly ousted him as illegal, arguing that the absence of the council’s chairman and his deputy rendered its outcomes null and void. A few days later, on July 6, the State of Law bloc suspended its alliance in the council with the Taqaddum party, saying the latter violated their prior understandings, suggesting Taqaddum played a role in the attempt to oust Alawi. But members of Taqaddum dismissed the accusations as false. Meanwhile, news reports citing unnamed informed sources argued that the episode reflects internal competition within the State of Law bloc in connection with the award of municipal contracts worth an estimated IQD 200 billion (approximately $150 million). 

On July 7, Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court (FSC) convened its first formal meeting since the retirement of former chief judge Jasim al-Omairi and the appointment of Judge Munthir Hussein as the new FSC chief judge. The nine judges of the court issued a six-point statement following the conclusion of the meeting, which was described as consultative. The statement emphasized the following principles:

• The FSC shall adhere to its constitutional role according to articles 52 and 93 and article 4 of the FSC Law without expansion of said roles. 
• Preserving the independence of FSC decisions and preventing political intervention in its work
• The FSC is to remain neutral in dealing with political parties to achieve its primary goal of preserving the political system and constitutional rights of all of Iraq’s communities 
• The FSC shall not interfere in the work of the legislative or executive authorities and will respect their decisions unless they violated the constitution
• The court’s role in elections shall be limited to the provisions of article 93/7 of the constitution, and the court shall not involve itself in political disputes in this regard
• The FSC shall work with the Supreme Judicial Council and other parts of the judiciary to serve justice and rule of law
• The FSC is to have consultations with constitutional law experts on ideas to improve the court’s work with regard to constitutional matters 

On July 8, Iraq’s president, prime minister, and speaker of parliament met to discuss legal and political disputes concerning a bilateral treaty with Kuwait regarding the maritime border in the Khor Abdullah channel. A statement by Prime Minister Sudani’s office said he and President Abdullatif Rashid and speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani agreed that parliament should take the necessary legislative steps to properly ratify the treaty in accordance with the requirements set by prior FSC decisions. In September 2023, the FSC had ruled that parliament’s ratification of the 2013 treaty was invalid because it lacked the constitutionally required two thirds majority. The statement added that both the Presidency and the Cabinet will withdraw their motions that sought to repeal the 2023 FSC decision that nullified the treaty in favor of resolving the matter through the legislative pathways. The statement also affirmed Iraq’s commitment to international agreements and UN Security Council resolutions, stressing the importance of “handling international matters with caution,” and warning against “exploiting them for political grandstanding.”

On July 10, informed sources within the Coordination Framework (CF) told Shafaq that the leader of the HikmaMovement, Ammar al-Hakim, is seeking a dialogue with Muqtada al-Sadr, aiming to dissuade him from boycotting the upcoming parliamentary elections. According to the sources, Hakim has been authorized by the CF to negotiate with Sadr regarding his conditions to formally return to politics. Sadr, however, has “closed all channels of communication,” the sources added. The source predicted that if Sadr and the CF reach a deal, then the latter may ask the Electoral Commission to reopen the candidacy window for Sadr’s party to present their candidates for the November election. The CF is concerned that Sadr’s boycott could harm the credibility of the political process by undermining turnout, according to the sources. Based on his latest public statement on July 9, in which he lashed out on rivals and allies alike, Sadr remains adamant about staying out of electoral politics. 

Sources cited in this section include: al-Sumaria, Iraq Observer, al-Aalem al-Jadeed, INA, ISHM archive, Shafaq, social media. 

SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: New Drone Attacks Target Kurdistan as Clashes with Tribe Rock Erbil; First PKK Fighters Lay Down Arms

On July 3, the counter-terrorism service of the Kurdistan region said that an explosive drone was shot down in an area near Erbil International Airport, which includes a military base housing International Coalition personnel. While no group has claimed responsibility for the attempted attack, the Interior Ministry of the regional government accused Iraqi militia factions of planning the drone strike without naming a specific entity. The incident did not impact operations at the airport and there were no reports of casualties or damage. Two additional attempted attacks with explosive drones followed during this reporting period. On July 10, Peshmerga forces shot down a drone that approached the headquarters of the force 70 unit in Sulaymaniyah. A few hours later in the early morning of July 11, another drone was shot down near Peshmerga positions in the Altun Kupri region in Kirkuk. These attacks followed a wave of rocket and drone strikes that targeted various civilian and military installations–including a camp for displayed persons–in Kirkuk, Duhok, Baiji, and Sulaymaniyah.

On July 9, security sources in Maysan province said that armed clashes had erupted between tribes in al-Uzair district, to the south of the provincial capital. The fighting reportedly killed three individuals and injured at least another person. Security forces responded to the fighting, and suffered four injuries among their members as they attempted to intervene. Subsequent reports described the situation in the area as calm amid heavy deployment of security forces and mediation efforts between the warring tribes following nearly 48 hours of clashes.

On July 9, intense armed clashes erupted between members of the Harki tribe and Peshmerga forces in the Khabat district of Erbil province leaving at least four people dead and a dozen injured. Local sources said the clashes were provoked by a dispute over water rights from a nearby tributary of the Greater Zab river. But other reports indicated that the clashes began after security forces attempted to arrest individuals who had been involved in an earlier clash between the Harki and Goran tribes over land disputes. Footage of the clashes appeared to show tribal fighters in control of the scene with security forces vehicles overturned. Mansour Barzani, a senior Peshmerga commander and son of Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, reportedly sought a meeting with Khorshid Harki, the leader of the Harki tribe, to resolve the situation peacefully. The two sides reportedly agreed to a ceasefire with terms involving the withdrawal of Peshmerga forces and the Harki leader turning himself in. In a statement on July 10, the Interior Ministry of the Kurdistan regional government (KRG) said the situation was brought under control and that legal measures were underway “to defuse the conflicts and punish the violators.”

On July 9, Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) said that a total of 27,974 people have been released from the country’s prisons and other detention facilities as a result of the Amnesty Law amendments that parliament passed in January. The statement indicates that nearly 8,600 people have been released from custody since the last update on the process provided in May. According to the SJC statement, a total of 119,315 convicts and suspects will ultimately be released under the amended amnesty program.

On July 10, local sources in Basra said that security forces arrested a local activist after he criticized government officials over their response to the water shortage that’s been affecting the province. The activist, Ala’ al-Bakhatiri, in posts on social media, criticized Oil Minister Hayan Abdulghani for allegedly using water tankers delivering emergency water supplies to the province in electioneering activities. Bakhatiri, who was arrested without a proper warrant, according to the local sources, was planning to organize demonstrations to demand solutions to the water crisis. Another local activist, Ammar al-Hilfi, said he is facing a warrant for his arrest after he criticized governor As’ad al-Idani and complained about the water crisis on social media.       

On July 11, a few dozen fighters from the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) gave up their weapons in Sulaymaniyah in a symbolic ceremony marking the beginning of the party’s disarmament after four decades of insurgency. Images from the ceremony showed 30 PKK fighters dropping their automatic weapons in a large metal container and the weapons were then set on fire. The ceremony, which took place at the Jasana cave in Sulaymaniyah’s Dokan district, was attended by officials from the KRG, Iraq’s federal government, and other party representatives and observers, including the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party, a pro-Kurdish Turkish party. The PKK issued a statement by the 30 fighters saying that they gave up arms “as a gesture of goodwill and a commitment to the practical success” of the peace process with Turkey. The fighters who called themselves the “Peace and Democratic Society Group,” added that they “will henceforth continue our struggle for freedom, democracy, and socialism through democratic politics and legal means.” The disarmament process will proceed in stages, with a second group expected to lay down arms within days, Iraq’s state news agency reported. The disarmament ceremony comes after the PKK announced in May that it would disband itself and end its armed struggle against Turkey, which has been going since 1984. The announcement came months after Abdullah Ocalan, the PKK’s imprisoned leader, had called on the group to lay down its arms and dissolve itself. 

Sources cited in this section include: Rudaw, Kurdistan24, ISHM archive, NINA, Shafaq, Iraq Observer, Baghdad Today, INA, al-Sumaria, PUKMedia, AP, Peregraf.

ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Iraq Boosts Oil Refining Capacity with New Projects; Trump Imposes 30% Tariffs on Iraq

On July 6, Turkish civil aviation authorities extended a ban on flights to and from the Sulaymaniyah international airport for an additional period of three 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 January. 

On July 9, Iraq’s Oil Ministry inaugurated a project to expand the capacity of the Najaf oil refinery from 30,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 100,000 bpd, a government statement said. The project is expected to be completed within eight months, oil officials told Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani during the cornerstone ceremony. Earlier this week, the government also said that work had officially begun on a previously announced project worth $800 million to raise the capacity of the oil refinery at Diwaniyah from 20,000 bpd to 90,000 bpd. Both projects involve the construction of new refining units at the existing refineries, each with a capacity to process 70,000 bpd of crude oil. This brings the number of small refineries that will undergo expansion projects this year to three. In February, Iraq’s Oil Ministry said it decided to add a new oil refining unit at the Maysan refinery to raise its capacity from 40,000 bpd to 110,000 bpd. 

On July 9, U.S. President Donald Trump sent a letter to Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani informing him of Washington’s decision to impose 30% tariffs on all Iraqi products entering American markets, effective August 1, 2025. The move is part of what Trump described as correcting a “major trade imbalance” caused by Iraq’s customs and other policies. While Trump affirmed that the U.S. intends to continue its trade relationship with Iraq, he insisted that relations must be “more balanced and fair,” accusing Baghdad of failing to apply the principle of reciprocity over the past several years. Trump also warned that any potential increase by Iraq in tariffs on U.S. goods would be met with a corresponding increase above the 30% already set by Washington. Trump mentioned that the new tariffs would not apply to Iraqi companies that choose to manufacture or assemble their products within the United States. Trump said he’d be willing to adjust these tariffs upward or downward based on the nature of future relations with Iraq, and he called on Baghdad to open its markets to American products. The far-reaching tariffs policy unveiled by the Trump White House in April initially targeted goods imported from Iraq with a tariff rate of 39%. An economic adviser to Prime Minister Sudani played down the significance of Trump’s tariffs, arguing that the bulk of Iraq’s exports to the U.S. are crude oil shipments that have an exemption from tariffs.

Sources cited in this section include: Peregraf, ISHM archive, Rudaw, Iraqi PM’s office, Shafaq.

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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