Baghdad

Flights must be open to all or to no one, Iranian adviser says following Iraqi airport suspension

"Alignment with America in implementing hostile policies will remain etched in the memory of the Iranian nation," he added. "Flight in the region is either free for all, or for no one," he stated.

A ground controller directs an airliner on the apron on August 29, 2015 at the international airport of the city of Najaf as Iraqis are heading to Saudi Arabia to perform the annual Muslim Hajj pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca.
The plane carrying the Iran's National football team flies over Los Angeles International Airport before landing on June 14, 2026, on the eve of the 2026 World Cup football match between Iran and New Zealand.

Iraq suspends Iranian flights to Baghdad after US threatens sanctions on airport service providers

Iranian Kurdish fighters from the Kurdistan Freedom Party, known as PAK take part in a training session at a base on the outskirts of Erbil, Iraq February 12, 2026.

Iran-linked drone attacks target Kurdish opposition groups in northern Iraq

Iraqi Prime Minister and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi chairs the Ministerial Council for National Security for an emergency meeting, to discuss the latest security developments and the attack carried out by the US and Saudi air forces, Baghdad, Iraq, July 29, 2026.

Iraqi military commander dismissed following drone attack on Saudi Arabia originating from Iraq


Voices from the Arab Press: China’s Iran dilemma, Israel elections, Hezbollah US talks

A weekly selection of opinions and analyses of the Arab media around the world.

THEN-IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (L), Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang, and Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud meet in Beijing, April 2023.

The Kurds rose as Syria and Iraq collapsed - now, their fortunes are reversing

BEHIND THE LINES: If and when the current strategy fails, the Kurds may need to be reached again. Hopefully, by the time this occurs, they will be able to take advantage of the moment in full.

KURDISH FIGHTERS from the Qamishli Brigade on parade last month.

US diplomatic reshuffle in Iraq comes at critical moment for Baghdad and Washington - analysis

US Chargé d’Affaires Joshua Harris is ending his posting in Baghdad as Washington prepares for a diplomatic transition amid the planned US troop withdrawal from Iraq and ongoing tensions.

 An illustrative image of the Syrian and Iraqi flags.

Iraq approves three month mechanism to export crude via local, international firms

Iraq is seeking to diversify its oil export channels and maintain flexibility in marketing its crude amid the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

A worker checks an oil pipeline at Nahr Bin Umar oil field, north of Basra, Iraq March 22, 2022.

Tehran’s control over Baghdad may create conditions for more extreme protests, expert tells ‘Post’

Iraq’s failure to pay July salaries could trigger wider, potentially violent protests as oil export disruptions and US financial controls strain Baghdad, an expert said.

Oil trucks arrive from Iraq, on their way to the Baniyas oil terminal, in Qamishli, Syria, May 11, 2026..

US-Saudi Arabia airstrikes target Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces militia in Iraq

The strikes followed a series of drone and missile attacks on Saudi Arabia. The United States has made clear that it believes Iran-directed militias are responsible for the escalation.

A man looks on near damage at a site belonging to Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) following airstrikes that the PMF said were carried out by US and Saudi forces, in Bartella, Nineveh province, Iraq, July 29, 2026.

Iraq forced to balance US, Iran relations after separate meetings with Trump, Iranian ambassador

Over the last decade, Iraq has been weakened from within because of Iranian-backed militias. Some of the militias have historical ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran.

Iraqi Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi speaks during a parliamentary session to vote in a new government headed by Ali al-Zaidi as prime minister, at the parliament headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, May 14, 2026.

US pushes Mediterranean oil pipelines to bypass Strait of Hormuz despite proxy security risks

Middle East correspondent Battaglia said that, in her view, if it were up to al-Zaidi, Baghdad would already have decided to chart its future with the United States rather than with Iran.

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi as they participate in a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington.

Iraqi security forces target political ‘corruption’ in Baghdad Green Zone raids

The Green Zone includes Baghdad's parliament building, various government institutions, and embassies, with many politicians also having residences in the area.

Security is stationed outside the US Embassy is seen in Baghdad's fortified "Green Zone" on March 17, 2026.

Iran's Araghchi heads to Iraq as rumors swirl in Baghdad over Green Zone raid

Iraq has been trying to rein in some Iranian-backed militias, with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi seeking to show that he can rein in chaos in the country.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives for a bilateral meeting with Switzerland's counterpart at the Burgenstock luxury hotel complex overlooking Lake Lucerne, Switzerland, on June 21, 2026.