Iraqi officials’ dual nationality allows for escape abroad

The Iraqi Constitution forbids high-ranking officials from holding a second nationality, but many do so anyway, allowing those accused of corruption to flee the country on foreign passports.

Iraq

US looks to Russia to avoid run-ins with Syrian troops in Deir ez-Zor

The Pentagon is considering expanding its de-confliction agreements with Moscow as Bashar al-Assad’s forces and US-backed rebels both turn their attention to eastern Syria.

Iraq

Israel's construction sector deadly for Arab workers

Lawyer Hadas Tagari is collecting and publishing data on the troubling number of deaths in Israel's construction sector, mainly among Arab laborers, to bring attention to the problem.

Palestine

Iraqi folk troupe struggles to stay on stage

The Iraqi national dance troupe is struggling to survive amid a lack of financial support and social taboos around dancing.

Iraq

Violence still plagues Christians in Iraq

Iraq's Christian leaders blame violence and instability for the country's declining Christian and Armenian population.

Iraq

Hundreds of Russian children found in Mideast orphanages

Children ripped from their homes in Russia and secreted off by relatives said to be fighting for the Islamic State are now turning up abandoned in the Middle East.

Iraq

Referendum rift unlikely to damage US-KRG ties

As the date for an independence referendum scheduled by the Kurdistan Region of Iraq approaches, the United States increases pressure on the Kurdish parties to postpone the referendum.

Iraq

Iran keeping watchful eye on Iraqi Kurdistan, Israel

Tehran openly opposes Iraqi Kurdistan's upcoming independence referendum, but many observers feel Iran is actually taking measures to counter Israeli actions in the Kurdish region.

Iraq

Pro-Iranian Shiite factions lose popular support in Iraq

The recent agreement between Hezbollah and a group of pro-Islamic State fighters to arrange their evacuation from the Lebanese-Syrian border to the Syrian-Iraqi border triggered an outburst of public anger against Hezbollah and Iraqi factions fighting alongside Hezbollah on Syrian territory for years.

Iraq

Iran plays Hamas card

Iran's improved relations with Turkey, Qatar and Hamas send a message to the region.

Palestine

Iranian Kurds urge Iraqi brethren to stay united ahead of referendum

As Iraqi Kurds increasingly quarrel ahead of the Sept. 25 independence referendum, Iranian Kurds are urging their western neighbors to stay united and press ahead with the vote.

Iraq

Young Iraqis experiment with variety of drugs

In addition to traditional turn-ons, drug users in Iraq are expanding their habits to include everything from LSD to seemingly mundane treatments for arthritis.

Iraq