Key Takeaways:

• • POLITICS: New Parliament Elects Speaker but KDP–PUK Competition Delays Government Formation; Militias Divided Over Disarmament – On December 29, Iraq’s new parliament convened its first session, during which it elected Haybat al-Halbousi, an Anbar lawmaker from the Taqaddum Party, as speaker. Parliament also elected Adnan Fayhan, a former Babylon governor from Asaib Ahl al-Haq, as first deputy speaker. The election of the second deputy speaker required three voting rounds because the main Kurdish parties (PUK and KDP) fielded competing candidates. Eventually, the KDP’s Farhad al-Atrushi won the position. A similar rivalry is delaying the election of a new president. The post is traditionally held by the PUK—a monopoly the KDP has sought to break. As of Thursday, the main contenders were former Environment Minister Nizar Amedia (PUK) and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein (KDP). On January 4, the Iraqi Resistance Coordination (Tanseeqiyah) Committee rejected calls for militia disarmament, declaring the “resistance’s” weapons “sacred” and urging the next government to pass laws protecting its fighters’ rights and to end all foreign military presence. The statement followed comments by Supreme Judicial Council head Faeq Zaidin, who said some armed factions had agreed to place their weapons under state authority and transition to political activity. Militia messaging has since been mixed. Asaib Ahl al-Haq initially signaled openness, with Qais al-Khazali saying on December 18 that weapons should be confined to the state. Political sources say factions have attached conditions to disarmament, including security guarantees, immunity from prosecution, and the preservation of economic interests. By contrast, Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba rejected disarmament outright, saying talks could only follow a U.S. withdrawal and the elimination of terrorist threats. Reflecting internal divisions, Asaib Ahl al-Haq later distanced itself from the January 4 statement and backed a nationally led process to place all arms under state control without foreign interference. On January 6, Iranian General Esmail Qaani reportedly made an unannounced visit to Baghdad to meet Iraqi militia leaders to discuss government formation, relations between the militias and the Iraqi state, and related discussions between Baghdad and Washington. more…
  • SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Assassination Sparks Clashes Between the Sadrists and Asaib in Maysan; IOM Warns of Precarious Living Conditions for IDPs – On January 2, unidentified gunmen shot and killed Hussein al-Allaq, a senior member of Muqtada al-Sadr’s Saraya al-Salam militia, in central Amara. Sadr accused rival militias of killing Allaq—who is said to be a suspect in the October 2019 killing of Wisam al-Ilayawi, a senior member of Asaib Ahl al-Haq—but stopped short of explicitly naming anyone. Although Sadr called on his followers to avoid escalation, members of the two militias exchanged fire in the streets of Amara, with reports that Sadr’s supporters set fire to the office of the provincial council chairman, who is affiliated with Asaib. Authorities imposed a nighttime curfew across the province, while the Interior Minister announced an investigation into Allaq’s killing. On January 6, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 1,031,475 people remain internally displaced in Iraq as of December 2025, including more than 101,000 individuals living in 20 internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in the Kurdistan Region. Despite limited returns, displacement remains protracted due to persistent barriers such as insecurity in areas of origin, damaged or unavailable housing, limited access to basic services, and scarce job opportunities. Living conditions remain precarious: clinics face shortages, food assistance is inconsistent, education services are overstretched, electricity access is uneven, and no kerosene has been distributed in major camps. As winter sets in, many families remain in deteriorating tents ill-suited for cold and extreme weather. In other developments, on January 1, an explosion caused by a remnant of war seriously injured four civilians in al-Qaim, near the Syrian border. On January 2, tribal clashes in Diyala province left at least five people dead and injured another eight. On January 4, an IED explosion southwest of Mosul killed two civilians and seriously wounded two others. more…
  • ECONOMY & CLIMATE: UN, Iraq Sign Sustainable Development Agreement; Trade with Neighbors Slowed by New Tariffs; Basra Oil Co. Takes Over WQ-2 from Lukoil – On December 25, Iraq and the UN signed the 2025–2029 Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, launching a post-UNAMI partnership focused on long-term development. The framework prioritizes improved public services, job creation and inclusive growth, environmental protection, and good governance. Implementation will be overseen by a joint steering committee and supported by a dedicated funding mechanism. On January 6, officials in Anbar province said trade between Iraq and Jordan has nearly ground to a halt after Iraq’s new tariff system came into effect with the new year. Truck traffic through the Trebeil border crossing reportedly dropped by more than 90%. The tariff schedule, initially announced in June, raises tariffs on food items from 1% to 10% and on many other goods from 5% to between 10% and 15%. On January 7, the Iraqi government instructed the Basra Oil Company to take over operations at the West Qurna-2 oil field in Basra. The move comes nearly two months after operator Lukoil declared force majeure in response to newly imposed U.S. sanctions. The takeover may indicate that negotiations with U.S. energy companies—including Chevron—interested in acquiring Lukoil’s stake have not produced a viable agreement. In other developments, on December 23, Iran halted all natural gas supplies to Iraq, resulting in the loss of 4,500 megawatts of power generation. On December 25, a trilateral deal to export oil from the Kurdistan Region via Turkey was extended until March 31, 2026. On the same day, Iraq’s Oil Ministry said crude oil exports in November averaged 3.553 million barrels per day, about 25,000 bpd less than in October. 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: New Parliament Elects Speaker but KDP–PUK Competition Delays Government Formation; Militias Divided Over Disarmament

On December 21, the President of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, arrived in Baghdad on an official visit. Zardari’s talks with Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani focused on cooperation in the oil and defense sectors, including technology transfer to develop Iraq’s military industrial capacity, a government statement said. The two sides also discussed trade relations, religious tourism, and problems facing Pakistanis working in Iraq, the statement added. 

On December 24, the provincial council of Dhi-Qar province voted to elect Haytham al-Hamdani as the new governor of the province. Hamdani replaces former governor Murthadha al-Ibrahimi, who is leaving office to take his place as a newly-elected member of the new parliament. Both Hamdani and Ibrahimi belong to Ammar al-Hakim’s Hikma Movement. In a similar move, on January 5,, the provincial council of Anbar province voted to elect Omar Mishan al-Danbous as the new governor of the province. Danbous replaces former governor Mohammed al-Karbouli, who is leaving office to take his place as a newly-elected member of the new parliament. Both Danbous and Karbouli are affiliated with Mohammed al-Halbousi’s Taqaddum Party.

On December 29, Iraq’s newly elected parliament convened its first session, which was chaired by speaker pro-tempore, Amir al-Fayez. The session began with the swearing-in of the incoming lawmakers (full list of names here). Parliament then elected Haybat al-Halbousi, an Anbar lawmaker from Mohammed al-Halbousi’s Taqaddum Party, as the new speaker. Halbousi won the speakership with 208 votes out of 309 present after the other main contestant, Azm Coalition leader Muthanna al-Samarraie, withdrew his candidacy. Parliament also elected Adnan Fayhan, a former Babylon governor from Asaib Ahl al-Haq, as first deputy speaker. Feyhan received 178 votes out of 306 present, beating former deputy speaker Mohsin al-Mandalawi, who received 107 votes. The election of the second deputy speaker, a position customarily held by Kurdish parties, namely the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), proved more contentious, as the KDP and the rival Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) presented two different candidates. The first round was inconclusive, after Rebwar Talabani (PUK) and Shakhwan Abdullah (KDP) split the vote 153:119 without either reaching the requisite majority. A second round of voting also failed to produce a winner, with Talabani and Abdullah splitting the vote 156 to 102. The impasse was broken in a third voting round the following day, in which the KDP finally prevailed after presenting Farhad al-Atrushi as an alternative candidate. A similar competition is delaying the election of a new president. The post is traditionally held by the PUK – a monopoly which the KDP has been trying to break. As of Thursday, the main contenders for the presidency were former Environment Minister Nizar Amedi (PUK) and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein (KDP), who had made a failed bid for the position back in 2018. 

On January 4, the Iraqi Resistance Coordination (Tanseeqiyah) Committee issued a statement strongly rejecting calls for the disarmament of its members, stressing that the “resistance” faction’s weapons are “sacred” — denouncing calls to hand them over as part of efforts to place all arms under state control. Instead, the committee — which includes Kataib Sayyid al‑Shuhada, Ansar Allah al‑Awfiya, Harakat al‑Nujaba, Asaib Ahl al‑Haq, and Kataib Hezbollah — said that the next Iraqi government must prioritize the passage of the Popular Mobilization Forces Service and Retirement Law, to safeguard the rights of their fighters. The statement also called for ending all forms of foreign military presence on Iraqi soil and in its airspace, and preventing any political, security, or economic influence. The committee also rejected any external involvement in disarmament discussions, adding that even dialogue with the government can only take place after full sovereignty is achieved and all forms of foreign presence are removed. The statement comes days after judge Faeq Zaidin, the head of the Supreme Judicial Council, claimed that the leaders of several armed factions had agreed to place their groups’ weapons under state authority and transition to political work. Militia groups have been sending mixed signals, and their messages suggested they were not all in agreement on how to address the disarmament question. Some armed factions initially expressed support for placing weapons under state control, including through public statements from the leaders of Kataib al‑Imam Ali, Asaib Ahl al‑Haq, Ansar Allah al‑Awfiya, and Kataib Sayyid al‑Shuhada. For instance, in a December 18 speech, Asaib Ahl al-Haq’s Qais al-Khazali declared that “We are now part of the state and we bear responsibility. We believe in confining weapons to the authority of the state, and we will take the necessary steps to turn this principle into reality on the ground.” Political sources told Shafaq News that these factions have set several conditions for disarmament. These include security guarantees against U.S. or Israeli strikes, keeping disarmament timeframes flexible, granting immunity to militia leaders, and protections for their economic interests. Meanwhile, Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba issued statements rejecting the disarmament of their fighters at this time, saying they would only discuss the matter after the departure of all U.S. forces and neutralization of terrorist threats. In another sign of disagreements among the factions, Asaib Ahl al-Haq distanced itself from the January 4 statement, and expressed support for a nationally-led process to place all arms under state control without foreign interference. 

On January 5, political sources told Shafaq News that Prime Minister Sudani has tasked Interior Minister Abdulamir al-Shmari with running the Ministry of Migration and the Displaced on an acting basis. The decision comes after Migration Minister Evan Jabro was sworn in as a new member of parliament. 

On January 6, news reports indicated that Esmail Qaani, the Quds Force commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC-QF), arrived in Baghdad on an unannounced visit to have talks with the commanders of Iran-backed Iraqi militia factions. Qaani’s meetings will focus on the future of relations between the militias and the Iraqi state and related discussions between Baghdad and Washington, as well as the future of U.S. military presence in the country, a source close to the IRGC told Baghdad Today. Qaani and militia leaders also discussed government formation and the future of relations between the next prime minister and the Coordination Framework leaders at a meeting hosted Tuesday night by former deputy speaker of parliament, Mohsin al-Mandalawi, other sources said. 

Sources cited in this section include: INA, al-Ghad, ISHM archive, Shafaq, Iraq’s parliament, Ultra Iraq, al-Sumaria, AP, al-Aalem al-Jadeed, al-Mada, Baghdad Today, Ultra Iraq.

SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Assassination Sparks Clashes Between the Sadrists and Asaib in Maysan; IOM Warns of Precarious Living Conditions for IDPs

On January 1, security sources in Anbar province said that an explosive remnant of war (ERW) detonated in the remote district of al-Qaim, near the border with Syria. The explosion caused serious injuries among four young men who were in the area when the explosion happened, the sources added. To the north, a legacy improvised explosive device (IED) detonated in the Tel Abta subdistrict, southwest of Mosul, on January 4. The explosion struck a civilian vehicle carrying animal herders, killing two of them and seriously wounding the other two, according to local security sources.  

On January 2, security sources in Diyala province said that armed clashes erupted between two clans from the Khafaja tribe in the Khan Bani Saad subdistrict, southwest of Baquba. The fighting left at least five people dead and injured another eight, the sources added. 

On January 2, security sources in Maysan province reported that unidentified gunmen shot and killed Hussein al-Allaq, a senior member of the Saraya al-Salam militia of Muqtada al-Sadr in central Amara. Muqtada al-Sadr accused rival militias of killing Allaq, who is said to be a suspect in the October 2019 killing of Wisam al-Ilayawi, a senior member of the rival Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia, but stopped short of explicitly naming anyone. Sadr also called on his followers to show restraint and avoid escalation. Despite the call for calm, members of the two militias exchanged fire on the streets of Amara, with reports that Sadr’s followers set the office of the provincial council chairman (from the Asaib) on fire. Footage from Amara appears to show groups of armed men on the streets, while heavy gunfire (mostly fired into the air) could be heard and seen in the background. Authorities imposed a nighttime curfew throughout the province while the Interior Minister announced an investigation into Allaq’s killing. The 11pm – 6am curfew remained in effect as of reporting.   

On January 6, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 1,031,475 people remain internally displaced in Iraq as of December 2025, including over 101,000 individuals living in 20 internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in the Kurdistan Region. Despite limited returns, displacement remains protracted due to persistent barriers such as insecurity in areas of origin, damaged or unavailable housing, limited access to basic services, and scarce job opportunities. Since the start of 2025, 1,498 families (6,893 individuals) have left IDP camps, mostly returning to Ninewa, Salah al-Din, and Erbil. However, many families—particularly in Erbil camps—remain unable to return due to prolonged security clearance processes. Government-supported procedures for camp departure have been suspended for 18 months, further constraining returns. Overall camp populations increased by 1,666 people in 2025, driven largely by families seeking refuge in camps for socio-economic reasons. While basic health services remain available, clinics face shortages of medicines, mental health services, and female staff. Food assistance has been inconsistent, with only four distributions in Erbil and Dohuk throughout the year. Living conditions remain precarious. Education services are overstretched, electricity access is uneven, and no kerosene has been distributed in major camps. As winter sets in, many families remain in deteriorating tents ill-suited for cold and extreme weather, underscoring urgent humanitarian needs.

Sources cited in this section include: Shafaq, Rudaw, Baghdad Today, Ultra Iraq, INA, social media, Reliefweb. 

ECONOMY & CLIMATE: UN, Iraq Sign Sustainable Development Agreement; Trade with Neighbors Slowed by New Tariffs; Basra Oil Co. Takes Over WQ-2 from Lukoil

On December 23, Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity said that Iran has halted all natural gas supplies to Iraq due to an unspecified emergency. The loss of Iranian fuel resulted in the loss of 4,500 megawatts of electricity as some power plants went offline, it added. The Electricity Ministry said it was working with the Oil Ministry to secure alternate fuel sources to meet power plant demand during the outage, which was the second in the span of four weeks. 

On December 25, a trilateral deal to export oil from the Kurdistan region via Turkey was renewed for an additional three month-period ending March 31, 2026, a senior Iraqi oil official said. The deal, signed last September between the federal government, the Kurdistan regional government (KRG), and oil companies operating in Kurdistan, allowed Kurdish oil exports to resume after being halted for more than 30 months.  

On December 25, Iraq and the UN signed the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) for 2025–2029, setting the foundation for their post-UNAMI partnership and marking a shift from political and humanitarian engagement toward long-term sustainable development, UN Iraq said in a statement. The framework aligns with Iraq’s National Development Plan (2024–2028) and Vision 2030, and is designed to consolidate international support around nationally defined priorities. Substantively, the UNSDCF centers on improving Iraqis’ access to education, health care, and social protection systems, with particular attention to women, children, and displaced communities. It also prioritizes job creation and inclusive economic growth while supporting sustainable and green economic initiatives. Environmental protection is a third pillar, with an emphasis on managing natural resources, adapting to climate change, and reducing disaster risks. Finally, the framework seeks to reinforce good governance and the rule of law by strengthening public institutions and supporting peace and social cohesion. Implementation will be guided by a high-level joint steering committee, co-chaired by the Ministry of Planning and the UN Resident Coordinator, which will review progress annually and adjust priorities as needed. Delivery will be supported through coordinated UN programming, a dedicated Partnership Fund, and a broader resource mobilization strategy to ensure sustained financing and accountability through 2029.

On December 25, Iraq’s Oil Marketing Company (SOMO) published data showing that crude oil exports during November totaled more than 106.593 million barrels, for an average of 3.553 million barrels per day (bpd). The November exports were about 25,000 bpd below the levels SOMO reported for October. SOMO data said the exports generated $6.595 billion in revenue, a significant drop of about $435 million from October’s revenue of $7.03 billion. The bulk of the exports came from fields in southern and central Iraq and were exported through the ports of Basra. Meanwhile, an average of 252,790 bpd was also exported from fields in the Kurdistan region via Turkey, and approximately another 10,000 bpd were exported by trucks to Jordan. 

On December 28, the federal government sent a sum of IQD 942.8 billion to the Kurdistan regional government (KRG) to pay the salaries of Kurdistan’s public sector employees for the month of October, a government statement said. The payment was approved after the KRG sent the federal government IQD 120 billion (approximately $91 million) as remittance for non-petroleum revenue generated during the corresponding month, in accordance with the budget agreement that Baghdad and Erbil announced last July. Baghdad is eyeing greater remittances from the KRG as it prepares to deal with rising budget deficits.

On January 6, local officials in al-Rutba district of Anbar province said that trade movement between Iraq and Jordan has nearly ground to a halt as Iraq’s new tariffs system came into effect with the new year. On Tuesday, only ten trucks passed through the Trebeil border crossing with Jordan, down from a daily average of more than 200, according to Rutba’s mayor, Imad al-Rishawi. The new tariff schedule, initially announced last summer, raises tariffs on food items from 1% to 10%, and on many other goods from 5% to between 10% (plastics and chemicals) and 15% (furniture and toys).

On January 7, the Iraqi government instructed the Basra Oil Company to take over operations at the West Qurna-2 oil field in Basra. The move comes nearly two months after the field’s operator, Russian oil company Lukoil, declared force majeure in response to newly imposed U.S. sanctions on Russian energy firms. In a statement, the government also said it will seek approvals to finance operations through the Majnoon oilfield account, which is to be boosted by revenue from oil shipments sold by the state oil marketing organization, SOMO. The nationalization of operations may indicate that negotiations with U.S. energy companies that had expressed interest in acquiring Lukoil’s share in the field, including Chevron, have not led to a suitable agreement. West Quran-2 produces approximately 480,000 bpd of oil and holds one of the largest reserves in the world.  

Sources cited in this section include: al-Sumaria, ISHM archive, Rudaw, Reliefweb, UN Iraq, SOMO, INA, Shafaq, Iraqi PM’s office. 

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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