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Iraq

October 12, 2026

Baghdad 7:44 am

25°C

Demonstrators ride through a street while waving Syrian flags

Analysis

Why Syria and Iraq are taking different approaches to armed groups

Shelly Kittleson

By Shelly Kittleson

In Baghdad, reporting on Iraqi politics

A man walks past a closed foreign exchange office in Baghdad on October 7, 2026. Iraq's central bank devalued the dinar currency against the dollar on October 7, with the country facing a deepening crisis brought on by the Middle East war. (Photo by AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP via Getty Images)

Iraq devalues dinar 13% as Hormuz disruption hits oil revenue

The central bank said in a statement that it had revised the official exchange rate to 1,520 Iraqi dinars per dollar from around 1,320.

A member of the Iraqi security forces flashes the victory sign during a military parade

Explainer

What Iraq’s US troop withdrawal means for security after Kirkuk killings

As Iraq assumes full responsibility for its security following the coalition’s withdrawal, a disputed counterterrorism operation in Kirkuk is raising questions about accountability, public trust and lingering security gaps.

Members of Iraq's Hashed al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization) paramilitary forces stand guard during an election rally for the "Asaib Ahl al-Haq" movement in the capital Baghdad, on October 7, 2021.

Analysis

After US exit, Iran gains space in Iraq and a harder balancing act

For Iran, the easier part may have been getting Washington out, but it may now have to struggle turning the absence into durable influence and reviving its allied militias without provoking instability.

A correspondent in Tehran

By A correspondent in Tehran

In Tehran, reporting on politics

Latest News

Trump’s integration policies build on Gulf, Turkey ties and Syria success

US President Donald Trump meets Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa (L) on the sidelines of the NATO Summit at Bestepe Presidential Compound in Ankara, on July 8, 2026.

Iraq announces Iran flights to resume: What to know

An Airbus A321 airliner arrives at the Mehrabad international airport during the delivery of the first batch of planes to the Iranian state airline Iran Air in the capital Tehran on Jan. 12, 2017.

Analysis

Can Turkey’s Bashiqa withdrawal pave the way for deeper Iraq ties?

Turkish soldiers conduct military exercises near the Habur crossing gate between Turkey and Iraq on Sept. 27, 2017 in the Silopi district, southeast Turkey.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Amberin Zaman

Chief Correspondent

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

Jared Szuba

Defense and Security Correspondent

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Beatrice Farhat

Associate Editor (Lebanon)

In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict

Suadad al-Salhy

In Baghdad, reporting on politics and security

Lyse Mauvais

In Amman, reporting on humanitarian crises

Winthrop Rodgers

In Sulaymaniyah, reporting on Kurdish issues

Foreign terrorist fighters, reverse migration are global crises

There is a pressing need for international cooperation to deal with foreign terrorist fighters and overcome the "not in my backyard" mindset.

Iraq's parliament helpless to halt political crisis

Iraq's political crisis has worsened, and the parliament cannot even meet to discuss proposals for resolving it.

Will unity deal deepen rivalries in Iraqi Kurdistan?

Long-time Kurdish rivals Gorran and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan recently reached an agreement that might further entrench Kurdish division in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Have Turkey-PKK clashes crossed fatal threshold?

The PKK’s alleged shooting down of a Turkish assault helicopter marks a major development in the ongoing fighting between the two sides.

Are Iraq's politicians to blame for Baghdad terror attacks?

The Islamic State attacks in three different parts of Baghdad on May 11 are an indication that the political crisis has affected security.

Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr speaks during a news conference in Najaf, south of Baghdad, Iraq April 30, 2016. REUTERS/Alaa Al-Marjani - RTX2C8B9

Muqtada al-Sadr, the most powerful man in Iraqi politics?

Many believe the storming of the Iraqi parliament by pro-Sadr protesters will only destroy the space for political work in a country where armed conflict has long been a way of settling differences.

Followers of Iraq's Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr shout slogans at Grand Festivities Square within the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq, May 1, 2016. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani - RTX2CCQK

Why Shiites are divided over Iranian role in Iraq

Shiites have started to act based on political orientations instead of their sectarian affiliations, which is viewed as an edge in the Shiite public awareness.

Who are Syria's Alawites?

Alawite doctrine differs in many ways from Sunni and Shiite Islam, but Alawites believe they should be respected and accepted as an independent Muslim sect.

Participants pose for a picture during a ceremony opening a representative office of Syrian Kurdistan in Moscow, Russia, February 10, 2016. Syrian Kurdistan is also known as Western Kurdistan or Rojava region - the term commonly used by Kurds living in Syria. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov - RTX26BWH

How Russia sees Kurdish quest for autonomy

Russia is carefully crafting its policies regarding Kurds, seeking to take a leadership role in the Syrian situation without actually offending anyone.

Young Arab and Kurdish soldiers, coming from the newly-declared federal region -unifying territory run by Kurds across several Syrian provinces- take part in a training session as part of a compulsory military service on March 24, 2016 in Rmeilan, a border town in Syria's northeast Hasakeh province.
Syria's Kurds on March 17, 2016 declared a federal region in areas under their control in the north of the conflict-riven country, a move rejected by both the government and opposition. The new "federal system"

Why Syria's Kurds can’t count on long-term commitment from Russia

Russia appears to be looking ahead to strengthen its post-conflict political position in Syria by exploiting Kurds’ anxiety over America’s role there.

A displaced boy, who fled from Salahuddin province stands in a tent at a refugee camp, on the outskirts of Kirkuk, December 17, 2014. REUTERS/Ako Rasheed (IRAQ - Tags - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST SOCIETY POVERTY) - RTR4IESO

Fleeing Tuz Khormato residents add more strain on Iraq's Kirkuk

The renewed fighting in Tuz Khormato has prompted many more families to leave for Kirkuk, which is already struggling to host a large number of displaced people.

Muqtada al-Sadr, chameleon of Iraq's politics

Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr is taking advantage of the current popular protests in Iraq to expand his influence and thus become an undisputable leader on the Iraqi political scene.