Key Takeaways:

• POLITICS: New U.S. Sanctions Target Family of Powerful Politician; Zaidi Signs New Energy, Defense Agreements in Paris and Berlin – On September 10, the U.S. Treasury Department announced new sanctions targeting several members of Kataib Hezbollah (KH), as well as Iraqi businessmen and companies, over their alleged role in supporting the activities of KH, Lebanese Hezbollah, and other groups linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force. Notably, the list includes two siblings of former Deputy Speaker of Parliament and senior Coordination Framework figure Mohsin al-Mandalawi, who allegedly used their Dubai-based company to move large sums of money from Iraq to Iran. On September 13, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi began an official two-day visit to Paris, heading a high-level Iraqi delegation to discuss strengthening relations with France. During the visit, Iraq and France signed six memoranda of understanding covering various sectors. The agreements included a letter of intent between Iraq’s Defense Ministry and French company HARMATTAN AI on autonomous air defense systems. Other agreements covered research and innovation, development cooperation, a gas supply and sales agreement between Iraq’s Electricity Ministry and TotalEnergies, and cooperation on civil aviation between the Iraqi and French transport ministries. Zaidi then traveled to Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier focused on strengthening bilateral ties and addressing tensions in the Middle East. During a joint press conference with Merz, Zaidi said that Baghdad views Berlin as a reliable and loyal partner and wants to strengthen economic ties between the two countries. During the visit, Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity signed a preliminary agreement on the fourth phase of its ongoing energy cooperation with German company Siemens, which had signed an agreement with Baghdad to add 15,000 megawatts of generation capacity. In other developments, on September 17, Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said that Ambassador Krikor Der-Hagopian had presented his credentials to President Donald Trump as Iraq’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States. more…
• SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Peshmerga Unification Yet to Address Partisan Control; Drones from Iraq Strike Saudi Pipeline; Yazidi Fighters to Join Government Forces – On September 10, Minister of Peshmerga Affairs Shorash Ismail said that the long-delayed process of reorganizing and unifying the Peshmerga forces under his ministry had been completed. Ismail hailed the unification of the 70 Forces of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and 80 Forces of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) under a single organizational framework as a historic milestone. Under the new structure, the 80 Forces will be designated as Area One and comprise six divisions, while the 70 Forces will be designated as Area Two and comprise five divisions. Despite the announcement, the changes on the ground appear largely organizational, and sources from both parties acknowledged that they do not address the problem of partisan control of the forces. On September 11, Saudi Arabia said that several drones launched from Iraq struck the kingdom’s East-West oil export pipeline, which can carry up to seven million barrels per day (bpd) to the Red Sea. The attack forced the Saudi Energy Ministry to shut down the pipeline for repairs. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said Riyadh had chosen not to respond at this stage following a request from Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to give Baghdad an opportunity to take the necessary measures to prevent further attacks. Zaidi sacked the Maysan police commander and the Iraqi Army’s top commander in Maysan after the discovery of launch pads confirmed that the attacks originated from the province. Meanwhile, a report citing Iraqi intelligence sources said the attack was carried out by small cells that had splintered from Iran-backed Iraqi militias and were directly controlled by Iranian officers. On September 11, Prime Minister Zaidi said the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ) would begin handing over their weapons to the state and that Mount Sinjar would come fully under the authority of the federal government. Zaidi said the government would safeguard the rights and sacrifices of the Yazidi fighters by integrating qualified personnel into Iraq’s official security institutions. In other developments, on September 14, five missiles likely fired from Iran struck three different areas in Sulaymaniyah Province without causing casualties. Between September 14 and 16, the explosions of one IED and two explosive remnants of war killed one person and wounded five in Anbar, Diyala, and Kirkuk. more…
• ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Deadly Ammonia Leak Hits Iraq’s Main Fertilizer Plant; Iraq Begins Trucking Oil from Basra to Boost Northern Exports – On September 13, an ammonia gas leak killed at least two workers at a major state-owned fertilizer plant in Basra. Footage from the scene showed a large fire and thick plumes of black smoke rising from parts of the plant, which reportedly supplies 60% of the country’s fertilizer. Another 114 people were injured in the incident, with health officials attributing most of the injuries to ammonia inhalation. It is unclear how the incident has affected production at the vital plant. On September 14, the Basra Oil Company announced that trucking crude oil from its Zubeir-1 storage depot to the northern export pipeline to Turkey had commenced this week in an effort to boost export volumes amid ongoing shipping disruptions affecting the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz. More than 200 trucks operated by the local KAR Group carried nearly 38,000 barrels of crude over two days during the pilot phase of the operation. The start of trucking operations comes five months after oil officials said that the K-1 oil pumping and storage station in Kirkuk had been upgraded to receive up to 90,000 bpd of oil trucked from Basra’s southern fields and pump it through the northern export pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan. Exports through the pipeline have averaged about 200,000 bpd in recent months. In other developments, on September 13, Iraq’s Oil Ministry signed an agreement with Chevron to provide technical consulting services to the Basra Oil Company on plans to develop the West Qurna-2 oil field. Chevron had expressed interest in taking over the field after the former operator, Lukoil, declared force majeure last November in response to U.S. sanctions on Russian energy companies. 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 U.S. Sanctions Target Family of Powerful Politician; Zaidi Signs New Energy, Defense Agreements in Paris and Berlin

On September 10, the U.S. Treasury Department announced new sanctions targeting several members of Kataib Hezbollah (KH), as well as Iraqi businessmen and companies, over their alleged role in supporting the activities of KH, Lebanese Hezbollah, and other groups linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force. The list includes four KH members, a senior procurement official with the Popular Mobilization Committee, and two Iraqi contracting companies with ties to the PMC, along with their executives. Notably, the list includes two siblings of former deputy speaker of parliament and senior Coordination Framework figure Mohsin al-Mandalawi. According to the sanctions announcement, the two used their Dubai-based currency exchange company to move large sums of money from Iraq to Iran. The full list of targeted individuals and entities, along with the rationale for the sanctions, can be found here.

On September 13, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi began an official two-day visit to Paris at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, heading a high-level Iraqi delegation to discuss strengthening the strategic partnership and relations between Iraq and France. During the visit, Iraq and France signed six memoranda of understanding covering various sectors. The agreements included a letter of intent between Iraq’s Defense Ministry and French company HARMATTAN AI on autonomous air defense systems, as well as a declaration of intent between the Iraqi Defense Ministry and French Ministry of the Armed Forces on supplying French military equipment to support the development of Iraq’s defense capabilities. Zaidi also said he would support talks between French companies and Iraq’s Defense Ministry on air mobility, artillery, counter-drone, air defense, and surveillance systems. Other agreements covered research and innovation, development cooperation, a gas supply and sales agreement between Iraq’s Electricity Ministry and TotalEnergies, and cooperation on civil aviation between the Iraqi and French transport ministries.

On September 15, Prime Minister Zaidi arrived in Berlin for talks with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier focused on strengthening bilateral ties and addressing regional tensions in the Middle East. During a joint press conference with Merz, Zaidi said that Baghdad views Berlin as a reliable and loyal partner and wants to strengthen economic ties between the two countries. He noted that Iraq has abundant resources and a large workforce, while it needs technology, expertise, and equipment from Germany. Zaidi also said Iraq plans to export crude oil to Europe through Syria and Turkey as part of efforts to diversify its export routes and avoid relying on a single corridor. He said Iraq and Germany share an interest in helping de-escalate the crisis between Iran and the United States. Zaidi said the two sides also discussed relations between Baghdad and Erbil and issues concerning ISIS prisoners held in Iraq. He stressed that Iraq’s security forces are capable of protecting the country, that weapons will be held exclusively by the state. He also called on countries that supported Iraq during the war against ISIS to strengthen economic partnerships and contribute to reconstruction and development. During the visit, Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity signed a preliminary agreement on the fourth phase of its ongoing energy cooperation with German company Siemens, which had signed an agreement with Baghdad to add 15,000 megawatts of generation capacity. 

On September 16, the Integrity Commission said that an Iraqi court had sentenced  lawmaker Baha al-Nouri to seven years in prison after finding them guilty of illegally enriching himself. The court also ordered Nouri, who was among a dozen lawmakers arrested during the government’s anti-corruption sweep in June, to pay the state IQD40 billion in compensation and fines. 

On September 17, Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said that Ambassador Krikor Der-Hagopian had presented his credentials to President Donald Trump as Iraq’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States. Der-Hagopian replaces outgoing Ambassador Nizar al-Khairallah, who had served as Baghdad’s envoy to Washington since June 2023.

Sources cited in this section include: Treasury Department, INA, Iraqi PM’s office, al-Sumaria, ISHM archive, Shafaq.

SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Peshmerga Unification Yet to Address Partisan Control; Drones from Iraq Strike Saudi Pipeline; Yazidi Fighters to Join Government Forces

On September 10, Kurdistan Region Minister of Peshmerga Affairs Shorash Ismail said that the decades-long process of reorganizing and unifying the Peshmerga forces under his ministry had been completed. In a statement, Ismail hailed the unification of the 70 Forces of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) and 80 Forces of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) under a single organizational framework as a historic milestone and a step toward creating a modern, unified army for the Kurdistan Region. Under the new structure, the 80 Forces will be designated as Area One and comprise six divisions, while the 70 Forces will be designated as Area Two and comprise five divisions. Despite the announcement, the changes on the ground appear largely organizational and do not address the continued political control of the forces. Wafa Kareem, a KDP member, said the announcement was intended to encourage Washington to continue providing financial support for the Peshmerga, adding that political parties, particularly the PUK, continue to maintain parallel command structures despite the KRG president serving as supreme commander. Ghiyath Sorchi, a PUK member, also acknowledged the persistence of partisan control while downplaying its significance as a remaining challenge. He argued that redesignating the KDP and PUK forces as Area One and Area Two had accomplished much of the purpose of unification, adding that “what remains now is just ending partisan controls” and that “there will be no partisan control” by the end of this year.

On September 11, Saudi Arabia said that several one-way attack drones launched from Iraq struck the kingdom’s East-West oil export pipeline, which has the capacity to carry up to seven million barrels of oil per day to Saudi ports on the Red Sea. The attack caused casualties and forced Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry to shut down the pipeline to repair the damage. The Saudi Foreign Ministry said Riyadh had chosen not to respond at this stage following a request from Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to give his government an opportunity to take the necessary measures to prevent further attacks launched from Iraqi territory. The ministry affirmed that Saudi Arabia reserves the right to take all necessary measures to defend itself. The Iraqi government condemned the attacks and expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s support for Iraq’s efforts to contain the situation. Prime Minister Zaidi ordered the dismissal of the Maysan police commander and the Iraqi Army’s top commander in the province, Lt. Gen. Jalil al-Sharifi, after the discovery of launch pads in Maysan confirmed that the attacks originated from a site inside the province. Zaidi also ordered an urgent investigation to identify those behind the attacks and take legal action against the perpetrators. Separately, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan stressed during a phone call “the importance of continued communication, coordination, and consultation between the two countries” to support regional security and stability and strengthen bilateral cooperation, according to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry. Meanwhile, an al-Hurra report citing Iraqi intelligence sources said the attack was carried out by small cells that had splintered from Iran-backed Iraqi militias and were directly controlled by Iranian officers, describing the cells as more hardline than their parent groups.

On September 11, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said the Sinjar Resistance Units (YBŞ) would begin handing over their weapons to the state, and that Mount Sinjar would come fully under the authority of the federal government and its security and administrative institutions. Zaidi said consolidating weapons under state control and unifying security decision-making were essential to protecting residents and ensuring stability in the district. He also said the government would safeguard the rights and sacrifices of YBŞ and Women’s Units members by integrating qualified personnel into Iraq’s official security institutions under applicable laws. The announcement came during a meeting with leaders of the Yazidi Cause Alliance and the YBŞ to discuss security, reconstruction, compensation for victims, the return of displaced residents, and administrative issues in Sinjar. Yazidi lawmaker Murad Ismail praised the agreement as a step toward securing the rights of the Yazidi community, integrating the YBŞ into Iraq’s official security forces and placing all weapons under state control.

On September 11, the Security Media Cell said that Iraqi F-16 jets conducted an airstrike that destroyed a hideout used by suspected ISIS militants in the Narin region near the Himreen Mountains in Diyala Province. Security sources said the strike killed two suspected ISIS militants in an initial tally. The sources added that security forces had closed off nearby Lake Himreen following reports that ISIS militants had attempted to kidnap three fishermen on the lake.

On September 12, security sources in Kirkuk said that unidentified gunmen attacked an Iraqi Army outpost in an area near Hawija in southwestern Kirkuk. The attackers used automatic weapons and machine guns and destroyed a thermal surveillance camera attached to the outpost before withdrawing from the area. There were no reported casualties among Iraqi troops.

On September 14, security sources in Diyala province said that two farmers suffered minor injuries when an explosive remnant of war detonated on their farm in the al-Udheim subdistrict, northeast of Baquba. Meanwhile, in Anbar province, a policeman was killed while conducting an explosive disposal operation near the town of Anah, northwest of Ramadi.

On September 14, security officials in the Kurdistan region said that five missiles struck three areas in Sulaymaniyah province. Three missiles struck the Zirgwezala area, while the other two landed in the Sirwan and Qaradagh subdistricts, all south of the provincial capital. The statement did not provide information about the origin of the missiles or the apparent targets, and there were no reports of casualties from any of the strikes.

On September 16, security sources in Kirkuk said that an Iraqi army officer and three soldiers were wounded when their vehicle struck an improvised explosive device (IED). The troops, all from the 32nd Brigade, 8th Division, were conducting search operations in the Dibis district, northwest of the provincial capital, when the explosion occurred.

Sources cited in this section include: PUKMedia, Rudaw, al-Aalem al-Jadeed, Middle East Forum, Asharq al-Awsat, CNBC, Shafaq, Mawazin, AP, al-Sumaria, INA, al-Hurra, Iraqi PM’s office, social media, Rudaw.

ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Deadly Ammonia Leak Hits Iraq’s Main Fertilizer Plant; Iraq Begins Trucking Oil from Basra to Boost Northern Exports

On September 13, Iraq’s Oil Ministry signed an agreement with Chevron to provide technical consulting services to the Basra Oil Company on plans to develop the West Qurna-2 oil field, according to a government statement that provided no further details. Since last December, reports have indicated that Chevron and Iraq’s Oil Ministry have been negotiating a possible deal under which the U.S. energy giant would acquire Lukoil’s stake in West Qurna-2 after the field’s former operator, Lukoil, declared force majeure in response to U.S. sanctions on Russian energy companies. Before Lukoil’s withdrawal, West Qurna-2 produced approximately 480,000 bpd and held one of the largest oil reserves in the world. 

On September 13, local officials in the town of Zubair in Basra reported an ammonia gas leak at a major state-owned fertilizer plant. Footage from the scene showed a large fire and thick plumes of black smoke rising from parts of the plant, which reportedly supplies 60% of the country’s fertilizer. At least two people were killed and 114 others injured in the incident, with health officials attributing most of the injuries to ammonia inhalation. It is unclear how the incident had impacted production at the vital plant.

On September 14, the federal government sent IQD831 billion to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to pay public-sector salaries for August, according to a statement from the KRG Finance Ministry. The amount included a deduction of IQD120 billion to account for the federal government’s share of non-petroleum revenues generated in the Kurdistan Region during the month.

On September 14, the Basra Oil Company announced that trucking crude oil from its Zubeir-1 storage depot to the northern export pipeline to Turkey had commenced this week in an effort to boost export volumes amid ongoing shipping disruptions affecting the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz. An Oil Ministry spokesman told Reuters that 209 trucks operated by the local KAR Group carried nearly 38,000 barrels of crude over two days during the pilot phase of the operation. The start of trucking operations comes five months after oil officials said that the K-1 oil pumping and storage station in Kirkuk had been upgraded to receive up to 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil trucked from Basra’s southern fields and pump it through the northern export pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan. Exports through the pipeline have averaged about 200,000 bpd in recent months.

On September 15, a Reuters report revealed that Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has been the largest buyer of Iraqi crude oil since August, becoming a major trader and outlet for Iraqi oil amid ongoing disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. According to an Iraqi source cited in the report, ADNOC received discounts of up to $27 a barrel on 20 million barrels of Iraqi oil it purchased in August, representing about a third of all oil Iraq exported from Basra that month. The UAE company also agreed to purchase another 40 million barrels in September, of which about 14 million barrels had already been lifted, at discounts averaging $23.25 a barrel. Similar transactions are expected to continue at least through October, according to another source. The report noted that ADNOC has been able to use its tankers, domestic pipelines, and Fujairah port on the Gulf of Oman to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

Sources cited in this section include: INA, ISHM archive, Rudaw, Iraq Observer, PUKMedia, Baghdad Today, Reuters.

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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