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. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Trump’s integration policies build on Gulf, Turkey ties and Syria success Iran’s influence, and the potential for renewed conflict, complicate progress in Iraq. Iraq
Newsletter: Security What the US withdrawal means for Iraq The US withdrawal from Iraq shifts responsibility for the country’s security to Baghdad as Iran-backed militias remain outside the government’s full control. By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Iraq announces Iran flights to resume: What to know Iraqis protested the latest move aimed at pressuring Iran and an Iran-backed militia vowed a response if the flights do not come back. Iraq
Analysis Can Turkey’s Bashiqa withdrawal pave the way for deeper Iraq ties? By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Analysis How militias in Anbar could complicate Iraq’s energy ambitions By Shelly Kittleson In Baghdad, reporting on Iraqi politics
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Xi, Trump set to talk Iran By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Is Turkey behind border wall, Iraqi deployment in Sinjar? Baghdad’s military moves in Sinjar, coinciding with a Turkish military operation in northern Iraq, and the construction of a wall along the border with Syria have rekindled fears among the local Yazidi population. Iraqi-Kurdistan
Iraqi soldiers killed in desert operation as drug busts surge Massive amounts of drugs are being smuggled across Iraqi borders while a large anti-terrorism operation including Iran-linked forces and US-led coalition support continues. Iraq
Iraq helps broker Iran-Saudi negotiations The latest Iran-Saudi talks in Iraq have been the most productive, according to reports. Iraq
Culture Historic Sawa Lake disappears from Iraqi map The Sawa Lake in Iraq has been associated with tales of history and human activity for hundreds of years, but today it has turned into just another plot of the desert that used to surround it after it has completely dried up. Iraq
Iraq grapples with rising food costs as a result of Ukraine war Ripple effects from the Russian invasion of Ukraine are driving the Iraqi government to allot additional funds to ensure the food supply is stable. Iraq
Islamic State announces 'revenge' attacks during Ramadan Iraq has stepped up security amid an IS campaign called 'Battle of Revenge for the Two Sheikhs' that killed dozens in several countries in the first few days. Iraq
Anti-Iran fever heats up as Iraq's political deadlock continues As Iran-backed groups block the formation of Iraq's next government, frustrated voices are getting louder about Iran's meddling. Iraq
US urges Iraqi government formation as stalemate drags on The deadlock has left Iraq without a new budget amid the economic uncertainty stemming from Russia's war in Ukraine. Iraq
Alliance blocks formation of new Iraqi government An Iran-backed minority alliance has caused delays, and the process of creating a new Iraqi government may take many months. Iraq
Turkey launches offensive against PKK targets in northern Iraq In a critically timed spring offensive, Turkey has hit dozens of targets associated with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party and killed 19 fighters. Turkey
Islamic State uses dust storm as cover for desert attack on Iraqi soldiers An Islamic State cell operating in Iraq’s largely desert province of Anbar killed two Iraqi soldiers the day after an armed drone allegedly from Iran-linked armed groups was shot down at a major base hosting coalition forces in the same area. Iraq
Iran's new Iraq ambassador affiliated with Quds Force Iran appointed the country’s fourth ambassador to Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime, and similar to his predecessors he is part of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iraq