Iraq

Turkey advances PKK peace process with historic Ocalan meeting - analysis

Turkish lawmakers are set to visit jailed PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan as part of efforts to formalize peace talks, following signs of de-escalation and coordinated parliamentary backing.

 A demonstrator holds a picture of jailed Kurdish militant leader Abdullah Ocalan during a rally in Diyarbakir, Turkey, February 27, 2025.
 Houthi protesters hold weapons during a demonstration in Sanaa, Yemen, May 30, 2025

Iran losing control over Houthis as proxy has 'gone rogue,' officials say

A drone is pictured during a large-scale drone combat exercise of Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in Semnan, Iran January 4, 2021. Picture taken January 4, 2021

Gas field in Kurdistan region of northern Iraq on alert after drone threat

An Iraqi army post stands along a section of the 600-kilometer  Iraqi border with Syria, on December 26, 2024

Iraq pushes for Syrian border wall, threatening Iran's regional influence - analysis


Israel must deepen its alliance with Kurds as Syria fractures - opinion

As long as Turkey and Qatar continue interfering in Syria’s internal affairs, the threat against minorities, including the Kurds, the Druze, and the Alawites, will continue.

 Commander-in-chief of the SDF, General Mazloum Abdi, in his military uniform.

IDF reveals connection between Hamas, ousted Assad regime in letters, documents

The letters include correspondence between senior Hamas officials, including Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh, Hassan Nasrallah, and Mohammad Saeed Izadi.

Killed Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, leader Yahya Sinwar against backdrop of ousted Syrian president Bashar Assad (illustration).

Trump, Vance not invited to Dick Cheney's Washington funeral

Trump and Vance were not invited to Dick Cheney’s funeral as US leaders gathered to honor the former vice president and outspoken Trump critic.

Late former US Vice President Dick Cheney's grandchildren attend a funeral service for him, at Washington National Cathedral, in Washington, DC, US, November 20, 2025.

Iran is rearming as 'Axis of Resistance' regroups - can Israel stop an inevitable war? - opinion

The longer Jerusalem waits to strike again, the more danger Tehran’s retaliation could pose. Preparations for this all but inevitable war should begin now.

IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER Abbas Araghchi recently declared: ‘Our missile power today far surpasses that of the 12-day war,’ the writer notes.

The Iraqi cleric and ex-Houthi spokesperson breaking ranks to defend Israel online

Two Arab activists are challenging dominant regional narratives by defending Israel online, even after facing bombings, persecution, and exile.

Ghaith Al-Tamimi condemned the October 2025 Yom Kippur attack on a synagogue in Manchester, England.

Kurdistan’s security architecture recast as Peshmerga unification continues

The Kurdistan region has its own armed forces, the Peshmerga. Among the largest units are the KDP and PUK, which each have tens of thousands of fighters.

A KURDISH peshmerga soldier stands at a lookout near Bashiqa in northern Iraq

Iraqi PM-led coalition tops Iraq election with 46 seats, commission says

Prime Minister Sudani's bloc wins Iraq's election, but forming a new government may take months due to challenges in building a majority and balancing US-Iran influence.

A man holds a flag of Iraq from a car with an election poster featuring current Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani, as supporters of the Reconstruction and Development Coalition celebrate after preliminary election results were announced in Baghdad, Iraq, November 12, 2025.

PKK’s partial withdrawal from Turkey raises questions about peace deal - analysis

The Kurdistan Workers' Party’s decision to pull back from the Turkish border raises hopes for peace but leaves crucial questions about its future actions in Iraq, Syria, and beyond.

Fighters with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) walk for a disarmament ceremony marking a significant step toward ending the decades-long conflict between Turkey and the outlawed group, in the Qandil mountains, Iraq October 26, 2025.

Iran ramps up anti-West rhetoric, expands influence in Iraq and Lebanon - analysis

Iran is strengthening ties with allies in Iraq and Lebanon while accusing the US and Israel of coercive diplomacy in its latest regional push.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, September 9, 2025.

After elections, Iraq walks a tightrope between US ties and Iran’s control - analysis

Iraq’s recent election saw 329 seats contested along sectarian lines. The outcome will impact the US-Iraq security arrangement and address the growing power of Iran-backed militias.

Iraqi polling officials count ballots at a polling station after closing of the polls during the country's parliamentary election in Al-Muhandiseen district in eastern Baghdad on November 11, 2025.

Iran engages in diplomatic blitz, strengthening ties with Iraq, Uzbekistan, UAE - analysis

Amid tensions with Israel and the US, Iran is ramping up diplomacy to build a "multipolar order," strengthening ties with Iraq, the UAE, and Uzbekistan to safeguard its regional influence.

 PROTESTERS, MOSTLY Houthi supporters, sit along an Iranian flag at a demonstration in support of Palestinians and Iran, in Sanaa last week. Aggression by proxies such as the Houthis must be treated as direct Iranian attacks, says the writer.