Iraq

Mysterious explosion hits Baghdad, injuring soldiers from Iranian-backed militias in Iraq

Iraq authorities are trying to downplay the idea that this site was struck by a munition, with investigations framing it as an accident rather than an attack.

Supporters of the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) chant slogans and wave flags at a rally celebrating the end of the U.S. military presence in Iraq on September 30, 2026 in Baghdad, Iraq.
Illustrative: Komala party members look towards the debris is strewn from mangled structures following drone strikes on the Iranian Kurdish opposition Komala party's Sordash camp, which resulted in the death of a female party member and the injury of two others, April 15, 2026.

Iran attacks Komala Kurdish opposition group in Iraq amid increased regional tensions

 Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini (L) who became Iran's first Supreme Leader after the Islamic Revolution and Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, who offered the Shah of Iran to dispose of the cleric

From Saddam Hussein to Israel: How Iran's wars have divided a nation - analysis

Nechirvan Barzani, President of Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan Region, gives a joint press conference with France's Foreign Minister in Arbil, the regional capital, on February 5, 2026.

Iran tensions, Syria talks put Iraqi Kurdistan at the center of Middle Eastern diplomacy - analysis


Iraqi Kurdistan emerges as a key diplomatic bridge between US and Iran - analysis

Nechirvan Barzani’s ties with Washington, Tehran and regional Kurdish actors have positioned Iraqi Kurdistan as a key diplomatic bridge.

Nechirvan Barzani, the regional president of Iraqi Kurdistan, delivers a speech after casting his ballot in Arbil, the capital of Iraqi's northern autonomous Kurdish region, on November 11, 2025.

Iran prepared for larger war, fearing US talks were cover for Israeli attack - report

According to the WSJ, Arab intelligence officials picked up evidence of Iranian leaders planning potential attacks on enemy territory, broadening the scope of the war and raising the cost for the US.

Missiles produced by Iran's armed forces are displayed near a row of Iranian flags during commemorations to mark the anniversary of the 1979 Iranian Revolution on February 11, 2026 in Tehran, Iran.

Recent Kurdistan Region attacks expose Baghdad’s struggle with Iran-backed militias - analysis

Three drones were intercepted over Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, as Baghdad seeks to bring armed groups under state control and rein in Iran-backed militias.

Smoke rises from an oil warehouse on the outskirts of Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan Region, following a suspected drone strike on April 1, 2026. (Illustrative)

Iraq seeks Saudi, Syrian ties as it faces pressure to rein in Iran-backed militias - analysis

Iraq’s militias have threatened US forces and Israel in the past. They have kidnapped journalists and carried out hundreds of attacks on the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi delivers a televised address after assuming office, in Baghdad, Iraq May 16, 2026.

Iraq’s PM seeks to disarm Iran-backed militias, but Tehran wants to meddle - analysis

Iran-backed militias in Iraq have roots stretching back to the 1980's and are the product of decades of Iranian policy aimed at cultivating armed proxies beyond its borders.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi meets with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Tehran, Iran July 23, 2026.

‘This is Tehran’: Khamenei posters and Iran regime flags displayed at London march

Given that the Ayatollahs are the ultimate authority over the IRGC, displays of support for them could be seen as support for the organization.

Open displays of support for the Islamic regime in Iran were seen throughout Sunday's Arbaeen Procession in London, August 9, 2026.

Rocket attack hits Iranian-Kurdish opposition camp near Erbil, security sources say

The sources reported that there were no casualties, blaming Iran for the attack.

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.

Outrage in Iraq after female detainee allegedly gang-raped by police, prison officials

A probe was launched after officials discovered surveillance cameras had been turned off at an Iraqi police station where a detainee was allegedly assaulted.

Illustrative: An Iraq police man stands with Iraqi soldiers as they man a fixed checkpoint close to the scene of an explosion in central Baghdad on November 15, 2008.

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 removes counterterrorism designation from IRGC-linked company

A Treasury Department official said that the removal of sanctions was not indicative of a shift in US policy towards Iran or the IRGC, or negotiations to end the conflict in the Middle East.

 The United States Department of the Treasury is seen in Washington, DC, US, August 30, 2020.