Key Takeaways:

• POLITICS: Trump’s Envoy Underscores Urgency of Militia Disarmament; Asaib Ahl al-Haq Seeks to Reintroduce PMF Retirement Bill – On June 15, Tom Barrack, the U.S. special envoy for Iraq, met in Baghdad with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. Barrack confirmed President Trump’s invitation for Zaidi to visit the White House in mid-July for talks on the future of U.S.-Iraq relations. A joint statement issued after the meeting said Zaidi and Barrack discussed their “shared aspirational vision” for Baghdad to urgently implement plans for “the complete disarmament and disbandment of all armed groups and formations operating outside” state control. The vision includes “the confinement of their weapons within the authority of the Iraqi state” and the assertion of full sovereignty to keep Iraq out of regional conflicts and prevent its territory from being used to threaten regional peace, the statement added. The talks also covered several business ventures involving U.S. companies in Iraq, particularly in the energy and technology sectors. On June 15, the Sadiqoun bloc in parliament, affiliated with Asaib Ahl al-Haq, said it was collecting signatures to support the reintroduction of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Service and Retirement Law in an effort to protect the rights of PMF fighters. The draft was first introduced by the Sudani government in February 2025 but was withdrawn shortly afterward due to disagreements among factions within the Coordination Framework, particularly over provisions that could have led to the retirement and replacement of senior PMF leaders, including PMF Chairman Falih al-Fayyadh. In other developments, on June 15, protests erupted in several areas of Diwaniyah province amid growing public frustration over worsening electricity outages. more…
• SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Baghdad and Erbil to Coordinate Defense of Oil Fields; Zaidi Appoints New National Security Chief and Advisor – On June 14, the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) agreed to develop joint plans to protect oil companies and facilities in the Kurdistan region from future attacks. The agreement followed discussions in Erbil between KRG leaders and a senior security delegation led by Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Abdulamir Yarallah. The talks focused on enhancing security measures to facilitate the resumption of oil production as part of Baghdad’s efforts to boost oil exports and government revenue. The meetings were followed by a field visit from the commanders of Iraq’s air defense and ground forces, who surveyed several oil fields in Erbil and Duhok and assessed their air defense requirements. Security guarantees were among the key demands raised by foreign oil companies during the government’s latest effort to increase northern oil exports through Turkey. On June 18, government sources said Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi had appointed Basim al-Badri as the new head of the National Security Service (NSS). Badri, who currently chairs the Accountability and Justice Commission and whose name had previously been floated as a potential candidate for prime minister, will replace current NSS chief Abdulkareem al-Basri. Zaidi also appointed judge Qasim al-Aboudi as his government’s new National Security Advisor, replacing Qasim al-Araji. In other developments, on June 15, the Saraya al-Salam militia led by Muqtada al-Sadr strongly objected after PMF Chairman Falih al-Fayyadh replaced the PMF commander in Samarra, a Sadrist figure, with a new commander affiliated with the rival Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia. Saraya al-Salam said it rejects attempts to alter the security balance in Samarra following Sadr’s initiative to place the group under state control. more…
• ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Baghdad Cancels Major Airport Project; Ankara Rejects Pipeline Treaty Extension; Iraq Gradually Restores Oil Production – On June 13, the Iraqi government canceled a major project to develop and operate Baghdad International Airport. The $764 million project had been awarded by the previous government to a consortium led by Corporación América Airports (CAAP). In announcing the cancellation, government sources cited allegations of corruption surrounding the project but did not provide further details. On June 16, Turkish energy officials said their government objects to an Iraqi proposal to extend the Iraq-Turkey pipeline treaty, which is set to expire on July 27, under its existing terms. The remarks came after Iraqi oil officials asked their Turkish counterparts to extend the current agreement for an additional year to allow more time to negotiate new terms proposed by Turkey. Also on June 16, local sources in Basra said oil production had resumed at the South Rumaila and West Qurna-2 oil fields after being suspended for more than three months due to the U.S.-Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. However, the restart appears to be only partial. According to a senior oil operations official, total production from all Basra-area fields increased from 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) to approximately 1.5 million bpd, compared with pre-war output of roughly 3.3 million bpd. South Rumaila and West Qurna-2 alone produced nearly 1.2 million bpd before the war. In other developments, on June 18, reports said high costs and limited vessel availability had prevented PetroChina and the Indian Oil Corporation from securing tankers to transport Iraqi crude from the Gulf. Sources told Reuters the two major buyers of Iraqi oil were quoted shipping rates nearly three times higher than pre-war levels, despite the U.S. and Iran announcing an initial agreement to end the conflict. 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: Trump’s Envoy Underscores Urgency of Militia Disarmament; Asaib Ahl al-Haq Seeks to Reintroduce PMF Retirement Bill

On June 15, Tom Barrack, President Trump’s special envoy for Iraq, met in Baghdad with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. A joint statement issued after the meeting said that Barrack confirmed Trump’s invitation for Zaidi to visit the White House in mid-July for talks on the future of U.S.-Iraq relations. Zaidi and Barrack discussed their “shared aspirational vision” for Baghdad to urgently implement plans for “the complete disarmament and disbandment of all armed groups and formations operating outside” state control. The vision includes “the confinement of their weapons within the authority of the Iraqi state” and the assertion of full sovereignty to keep Iraq out of regional conflicts and prevent its territory from being used to threaten regional peace, the statement added. The talks also covered several potential business ventures involving U.S. companies in Iraq. These included granting Starlink a license to provide internet services in Iraq, Chevron’s plans to develop the West Qurna-2 and Nasiriyah oil fields, providing security assurances for HKN, Western Zagros, and Hunt Oil to resume operations in the Kurdistan region, and cooperation with TI Capital to repair the Kirkuk-Baniyas oil export pipeline. The two sides also discussed expanding cooperation with U.S. firms to improve Iraq’s electricity generation and distribution infrastructure, including implementing Excelerate Energy’s delayed project to install and operate a floating LNG platform at the port of Khor al-Zubair. Finally, the statement said Zaidi and Barrack reaffirmed the importance of supporting “a strong, sovereign, and united federal democratic Iraq, grounded in robust constitutional institutions, and ensuring full equality for all citizens”—an apparent reference to ongoing disputes between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG).

On June 15, the Sadiqoun bloc in parliament, which is affiliated with Asaib Ahl al-Haq, said it was collecting signatures to support the reintroduction of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) Service and Retirement Law. In a statement, the bloc said it would seek to place the draft back on the legislative agenda in upcoming sessions, arguing that its passage would protect the rights of PMF fighters during their service and retirement. The draft law was first introduced by the Sudani government in February 2025 but was withdrawn shortly afterward due to disagreements among factions within the Coordination Framework, particularly over provisions that could have led to the retirement and replacement of senior PMF leaders, including PMF Chairman Falih al-Fayyadh. Following the withdrawal of the Service and Retirement Law, parliament began discussing a separate bill intended to replace the original PMF Law No. 40 of 2016. That proposal drew strong objections from Washington, which warned that its passage could further institutionalize Iranian influence and empower armed groups operating outside effective state control.

On June 15, Shafaq News reported protests in several areas of Diwaniyah province amid growing public frustration over worsening electricity outages. Protesters reportedly blocked roads with burning tires in the towns of Ghammas, Ifaj, and al-Sadeer, demanding improved electricity services as power supply reportedly dropped to just four hours per day.

Sources cited in this section include: U.S. Embassy Baghdad, INA, ISHM archive, al-Sumaria, Shafaq.

SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Baghdad and Erbil to Coordinate Defense of Oil Fields; Zaidi Appoints New National Security Chief and Advisor

On June 11, the Security Media Cell reported that Iraqi F-16 jets targeted two suspected ISIS militants with an airstrike in the Buhruz subdistrict of Diyala province, killing both. Ground troops were later sent in to survey the area and found the body of the local ISIS commander in the Buhruz sector, the statement added. In nearby Kirkuk province, Iraqi counter-terrorism service troops killed three suspected ISIS militants during security operations in the Bashir subdistrict, according to security sources. 

On June 14, a military spokesman for Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said that the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) had agreed to develop joint plans to protect oil companies and facilities in the Kurdistan region from future attacks. The announcement followed discussions in Erbil between KRG leaders and a senior security delegation led by Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Abdulamir Yarallah. The talks focused on enhancing security measures to facilitate the resumption of oil production in the region as part of Baghdad’s efforts to boost oil exports and government revenue. This was followed by a field visit by the chiefs of Iraq’s air defense and ground forces who surveyed several oil fields in Erbil and Duhok and conducted an assessment of air defense requirements. Security guarantees were reportedly among the key demands raised by foreign oil companies during the government’s latest push to increase northern oil exports through Turkey.

On June 15, the PMF leadership issued orders to replace the commander of PMF operations in Samarra, Ali al-Ugaily, with a new commander affiliated with the Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia. One document shows Ugaily has been given an advisory role overseeing the reorganization of PMF brigades 313, 314, and 315, which are Samarra-based units of Muqtada al-Sadr’s Saraya al-Salam militia. The appointment of the new commander, Yousif Mizban, was met with strong opposition from Saraya al-Salam, to which the ousted Ugaily belongs. In a statement, Saraya al-Salam said it rejects any attempts to alter the security landscape in Samarra, stressing that Sadr’s initiative to place the group under state control “does not mean abandoning the ideology or principles” upon which its mission was founded. The statement added that Saraya al-Salam will remain in Samarra until the security file is transferred to official state security institutions in a manner that prevents partisan power struggles. 

On June 17, the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran, an Iranian Kurdish opposition group based in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, said that an explosive drone targeted one of its camps near the Koy-Sanjaq district within Erbil province. The attack caused some damage, but there were no reports of casualties. 

On June 18, government sources said that Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi had appointed Basim al-Badri as the new head of the National Security Service (NSS). Badri, who currently chairs the Accountability and Justice Commission and whose name had previously been floated as a potential candidate for prime minister, will replace current NSS chief Abdulkareem al-Basri. Zaidi also appointed judge Qasim al-Aboudi as his government’s new National Security Advisor, replacing Qasim al-Araji.

Sources cited in this section include: al-Sumaria, INA, Shafaq, ISHM archive, Rudaw, Baghdad Today.

ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Zaidi Cancels Major Airport Project; Ankara Rejects Pipeline Treaty Extension; Iraq Gradually Restores Oil Production

On June 13, government sources told INA that Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi had ordered the cancellation of a major project to develop and operate Baghdad International Airport. Last year, the previous government approved a proposal to award the $764 million project to a consortium led by Corporación América Airports (CAAP). The Iraqi Transportation Ministry had been tasked with negotiating a final contract with the consortium in consultation with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which has been advising Baghdad on selecting a private investor. In announcing the cancellation, the government source cited allegations of corruption surrounding the project but did not provide further details. According to the source, Zaidi also ordered the cancellation of an unspecified railway development project that had been approved under the previous government.

On June 13, the state-owned Iraqi Drilling Company said it began a program to drill 17 horizontal wells at the East Baghdad oil field, which is operated by China’s Zhenhua. The drilling program is a continuation of IDC involvement in field development and production growth at East Baghdad, where it has already drilled 45 wells, according to IDC director Mohammed Hantoush. 

On June 16, Turkish energy officials said their government objects to an Iraqi proposal to extend the Iraq-Turkey pipeline treaty, which is set to expire on July 27, under its existing terms. The remarks came after Iraqi oil officials asked their Turkish counterparts to extend the current agreement for an additional year to allow more time to negotiate new terms. The two sides have been negotiating a replacement agreement for nearly a year to succeed the original treaty, signed in 1973 and extended in 2010. Previous statements by Turkey’s Energy Minister suggest that one of Ankara’s key demands is the inclusion of “a mechanism to ensure the full utilization of the pipeline.” Oil flow through the pipeline resumed in September after being halted for nearly two and a half years. The pipeline currently carries around 200,000 barrels per day of Iraqi crude to the Turkish port of Ceyhan.

On June 16, local sources in Basra said that oil production operations had resumed at the South Rumaila and West Qurna-2 oil fields after being suspended for more than three months due to the U.S.-Iran conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The report comes amid anticipations of a return to normal shipping through the strait as the U.S. and Iran approach a peace deal. Iraq’s Oil Ministry had shut down production at the two fields, which together produced an average of 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd), as hostilities between the United States, Israel, and Iran disrupted oil exports through the strategic waterway. The production restart appears to be partial. According to a senior oil operations official, production from the Basra area fields has increased from 900,000 bpd to approximately 1.5 million bpd.   

On June 18, Reuters reported that high costs and limited vessel availability have prevented PetroChina and the Indian Oil Corporation from securing tankers to lift and transport Iraqi crude oil from the Gulf. Sources told Reuters that the two important buyers of Iraqi oil were quoted shipping rates nearly three times higher than pre-war levels, despite the U.S. and Iran announcing an initial agreement to end the conflict.

Sources cited in this section include: INA, ISHM archive, al-Sumaria, Reuters, BBC.

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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