Iranian media: Sistani's meeting with Rouhani endorsement of ‘moderation’

President Hassan Rouhani’s audience with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani signaled an approval of the president’s moderate positions both at home and abroad, according to Iranian media.

Iraq

Intel: How the Pentagon plans to use thinned-out US presence in Iraq

Iraq

Sistani to Rouhani: Iraq's sovereignty must be respected

Iraq's top Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in the Iraqi city of Najaf, where Sistani stressed the necessity of respecting Iraq's sovereignty.

Iraq

Rouhani leverages Sistani visit to maneuver on Iran's regional policy

Hassan Rouhani’s first state visit to Iraq as president has ushered in a series of important economic and political accords between the two countries — but his crowning achievement was his audience with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani.

Iraq

Iran's hard-liners praise Rouhani for boosting trade with Iraq

Iran's hard-liners are over the moon that President Rouhani is listening to their advice and capitalizing on Iraq as a key trade partner in the wake of reinstated US sanctions.

Iraq

Iraq set to try Islamic State detainees according to local laws

Iraq has received hundreds of Islamic State detainees from Syria and is preparing to try them in Iraqi courts.

Iraq

Pentagon seeks $2 billion cut for Islamic State fight

The new US defense budget would cut funding to defeat IS by 20% as President Trump targets a withdrawal from Syria by the end of April.

Iraq

Iran media: Rouhani tours Iraq 'in daylight' while Trump landed 'in secrecy'

The high-profile visit by Iran's President Hassan Rouhani to neighboring Iraq has been welcomed by Iranian media and resulted in a "unified stance" between the two countries.

Iraq

Rouhani in Baghdad seeks outlets against US sanctions

Iranian president Hassan Rouhani is paying his first visit to Iraq with the hope of expanding economic relations to allow Iran to counter the tightening noose of US sanctions.

Iraq

Parliament bill may not prevent US troops from staying in Iraq

Iraq is smack in the middle of a tug of war between the United States and Iran for influence in the Mideast and faces some tough decisions.

Iraq

Local intelligence key to Anbar anti-IS operations

As Islamic State fighters flee eastern Syria, Iraqi forces in the Anbar desert are conducting operations to rout out remaining fighters.

Iraq

Russia's plan for IS returnees no better than that of others

Moscow criticizes the Europeans for refusing to assume their share of responsibility for their nationals who ended up with the Islamic State, but Russia's own practice is flawed, too.

Iraq