Category: Iraq

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Iraqi PM seeks to revive Iran-Saudi talks

Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Kadhimi and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi during a joint press conference. (Photo www.president.ir)

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said his country welcomes the reopening of the Iranian and Saudi Arabian Embassies in Riyadh and Tehran, reports Asian Lite Newsdes

Iraqi Prime Minister Al-Kadhimi has met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Tehran in an aim to push for resumption of the peace talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

“We discussed the challenges that the region is facing,” Al-Kadhimi said during a joint press conference with Raisi, adding, “We agreed to work together to bring stability and peace to the region”.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said his country welcomes the reopening of the Iranian and Saudi Arabian Embassies in Riyadh and Tehran.

Iran only seeks to promote the region’s interests, Amir-Abdollahian said here in a meeting with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi.

He praised the Iraqi government for its efforts to encourage dialogue among regional countries and play a constructive role in the normalization talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia as well as other Middle Eastern nations, reports Xinhua news agency.

Iran maintains that the solution to regional problems lies within the region, Amir-Abdollahian said, adding that Iran backs the continuation of the ceasefire in Yemen, highlighting the necessity of lifting the siege on the Arab state.

The Foreign Minister noted that given the commonalities between Iran and Egypt, improving relations between Tehran and Cairo will be in the interest of the region and the Muslim world.

The Iraqi Prime Minister underlined Iran’s important position and role in regional developments, saying his country is serious about developing ties with Iran.

He assured his host that Iraq will continue its efforts to encourage dialogue and cooperation among regional states.

The Iraqi Prime Minister described his country’s relations with the Iran as very important and added, “Today we agreed to strengthen trade relations between the two nations and countries within the framework of common interests”.

Al-Kadhimi arrived in Tehran early Sunday for high-level talks with senior Iranian officials, following his trip to Saudi Arabia, where he was welcomed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

Both crown prince and Iraqi PM held a session of official talks, during which they reviewed the bilateral relations between the two fraternal countries and areas of joint cooperation, in addition to exchanging views on a number of issues, which contribute to supporting and strengthening security and stability in the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

ALSO READ:Iraq FM ready to host new round of Iranian-Saudi talks

On June 16, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said in a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian that “Iraq is ready to continue facilitating direct talks between the Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers in Baghdad to restore relations to normal”, according to a statement by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.

To improve bilateral relations and ease regional tension, Baghdad hosted four rounds of direct talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia last year, and the fifth round was held in April this year.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in early 2016 in response to attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Tehran after the kingdom executed a Shia cleric.

The two rivals’ strained relations showed signs of improvement after they resumed direct talks on normalizing diplomatic relations in April 2021.

Recently, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani arrived in Cairo for his first visit to Egypt since the two countries restored diplomatic ties last year.

The two-day official visit included talks with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on bilateral relations and ways to enhance them in all fields.

Tamim’s visit also saw the signing of a number of economic agreements, and ensured Qatari investment in Egypt, especially in the energy field.

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Arab News Iraq

Iraq FM ready to host new round of Iranian-Saudi talks

Iraq FM ready to host new round of Iranian-Saudi talks

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has expressed Iraq’s readiness to host a new round of direct talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia in Baghdad…reports Asian Lite News

Hussein made the remarks in a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.

During the phone call, the Iraqi top diplomat confirmed “the Iraqi government’s intention to continue facilitating direct talks between the Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers in Baghdad to restore relations to normal,” said the statement.

Calling the latest round of talks with Saudi Arabia in Baghdad as “positive”, Amir-Abdollahian welcomed the implementation of the outcomes of the negotiations and praised the Iraqi Foreign Ministry’s role in this regard, according to the statement.

ALSO READ:Lebanon, Iraq to boost legal, judicial cooperation

To improve bilateral relations and ease regional tension, Baghdad hosted four rounds of direct talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia last year, and the fifth round was held in April this year.

In response to the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed a Shiite cleric, Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in early 2016.

The two rivals’ strained relations showed signs of improvement after they resumed direct talks on normalising diplomatic relations in April 2021.

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Lebanon, Iraq to boost legal, judicial cooperation

 Lebanon and Iraq have agreed to bolster legal and judicial cooperation between their Justice ministries, the National News Agency (NNA) reported.



The cooperation, agreed upon during a meeting between Lebanese Justice Minister Henri Khoury and his visiting Iraqi counterpart Salar Abdul Sattar Muhammad on Wednesday, includes judicial notifications, penal fields and extradition issues between the two countries, according to NNA.

“The Iraqi and Lebanese Justice ministries have authentic and deep-rooted relations … We must collaborate, cooperate and support each other in international and regional forums and in the League of Arab States,” said Muhammad.

For his part, Khoury said his Ministry’s relation with the Iraqi Justice Ministry and the Supreme Judicial Council in Iraq is very special, highlighting Lebanon’s aspiration to “further consolidate these ties in the near future,” Xinhua news agency reported.

Last week, the World Bank warned that Lebanon will face significant challenges in running its state institutions and maintaining social peace if the country fails to undertake a comprehensive reform.

“Despite early warnings, Lebanon has lost precious time and numerous opportunities to adopt a path to reform its economic and financial system,” Xinhua news agency quoted World Bank Mashreq Regional Director Saroj Kumar Jha quoted as saying in a statement.

“The cost of inaction is colossal not only on the daily lives of citizens, but also on the future of the Lebanese people,” Jha added.

Failing basic public services, rising unemployment and severely dented human resources have become the “long-lasting scars” on the Lebanese economy and society because of the country’s enduring crisis, the statement said.

The World Bank statement came less than a week after the Lebanese pound sank to a new historic low on the parallel market amid the country’s unprecedented financial crisis.

Meanwhile recently, the Iraqi Parliament had passed a bill to criminalise institutions, officials and ordinary people for normalising relations with Israel.

A statement issued by Parliament said that 275 lawmakers voted unanimously to pass the bill.

The bill is supposed to preserve the principles of the Iraqi people in defending Palestine and its people as well as the Arab peoples, whose lands are occupied by the Jewish state, the statement added.

It aims to deter all those working on normalising or establishing relations with Israel.

ALSO READ: MBZ lauds health officials for anti-Covid efforts

The bill also prohibits Iraqis from travelling to Israel and having any kind of communications with the country, or they will face harsh penalties of up to life imprisonment and death penalty on violations, according to some articles of the new law revealed by local media.

The approval comes weeks after Shia cleric Moqtada al-Sadr called on the members of the Sadrist Movement, which won the largest number of seats in last year’s elections, to formulate such a bill.

In September 2021, the Iraqi government announced its opposition to normalising its relations with Israel.

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Arab News Iraq

Three IS militants killed in western Iraq

Three militants of the Islamic State (IS) group were killed in a clash with paramilitary Hashd Shaabi forces in Iraq’s western province of Anbar, a Hashd Shaabi statement said…reports Asian Lite News

The clash occurred on Friday during an operation by the Hashd Shaabi forces to hunt down IS militants in the desert area of Wadi Huran west of the provincial capital Ramadi, some 110 km west of Baghdad, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the statement.

The IS militants are still active in the vast Anbar desert that stretches to the Iraqi borders with neighboring countries of Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. They are infiltrating Iraq from Syria across the nearly 600-km border in an attempt to regroup again.

ALSO READ: Three rockets land near Iraq’s capital Erbil

Over the past few months, Iraqi security forces have conducted operations across the country against the IS militants to crack down on their intensified activities.

The security situation in Iraq has been improving since 2017. However, the IS remnants have since melted into urban centers, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against the security forces and civilians.

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Arab League Turns Heat On Erdogan

Arab league condemns Turkish military operation in N. Iraq

 The Arab League on Tuesday condemned the Turkish military operation in northern Iraq, saying it constitutes “unacceptable and deplorable” violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and international law.

The military operations on Iraqi soil increased tension between Turkey and Iraq, said a statement by the pan-Arab body, calling on Ankara to stop such practices and respect the Iraqi sovereignty.

At least 26 members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) have been killed during Turkey’s new ground and air cross-border offensive into northern Iraq launched on Monday, according to Turkey’s Defense Ministry.

Turkey regularly conducts cross-border operations on PKK bases in northern Iraq, despite Iraq’s repeated condemnation of Turkey’s violation of its sovereignty.

The PKK, listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, has been rebelling against the Turkish government for more than 30 years.

Iraq said the Turkish military operation in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region is a threat to Iraq’s national security and a violation of its sovereignty.

The latest Turkish military operation into the Iraqi frontier without coordinating with the Iraqi federal government is unacceptable, said a statement by the Presidency.

ALSO READ: Al Aqsa raid puts Israel in trouble

The pending security issues in the border areas could be resolved through further coordination between the two countries and the Iraqi sovereignty must be respected, it added.

On Monday, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said in a statement that the Turkish forces launched a new ground and air cross-border operation against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) in northern Iraq.

Turkish forces regularly carry out ground operations, airstrikes, and artillery bombardments against the positions of PKK militants in northern Iraq, especially the Qandil mountain range, where the main PKK bases are stationed.

The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.

Al Aqsa raid puts Israel in trouble

Al-Aqsa Issue

Meanehile, Erdogan on Tuesday urged his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog not to allow “provocations and threats” against the status and spirituality of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

In a Twitter post, Erdogan said he held a phone talk with Herzog to discuss regional issues and bilateral relations, especially the events caused by “some Israeli radical groups and security forces in Palestine.”

Erdogan said he told Herzog that he had been “very upset” about the Palestinians being injured or killed in the incidents in the West Bank and the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem since the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in early April.

These incidents caused by radicals every year “hurt consciences and cause justifiable reactions” in the entire Islamic world, he said.

The tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have been rising in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the past weeks, especially on Friday when the Jewish festival of Passover began.

Some 200 Palestinians have been injured in a recent wave of clashes in East Jerusalem, mainly at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which is holy to both Muslims and Jews. Scores of Israeli have also died in a spate of deadly attacks in Israel.

The phone talk came amid the reconciliation efforts made by Israel and Turkey, whose ties were strained in 2010 when a Turkish-led flotilla attempting to break Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip clashed with Israeli forces, leaving 10 Turks on board dead.

In 2018, Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador to Turkey after the United States moved its embassy to the disputed holy city of Jerusalem.

On March 9, Herzog paid a visit to Ankara, during which Erdogan said he “clearly expressed Turkey’s sensitivity on the issue of Palestine.”

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Arab News Iraq News

Three rockets land near Iraq’s capital Erbil

Three rockets landed near Iraq's northern Kurdish regional capital Erbil causing no casualties, the region's Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS)

Three rockets landed near Iraq’s northern Kurdish regional capital Erbil causing no casualties, the region’s Counter-Terrorism Service (CTS) said in a statement…reports Asian Lite News

The rockets were fired from al-Hamdaniya, a town 60 km west of Erbil, and hit an inhabited area near an oil installation in the Khabat District of Erbil province, the Kurdish CTS statement added on Wednesday.

No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the attack, Xinhua news agency reported.

ALSO READ: Iran slams new sanctions

On March 13, the Kurdish regional government said 12 long-range ballistic missiles were fired from the east outside the Iraqi borders toward the new building of the US consulate in Erbil and the surrounding residential areas, leaving one civilian injured.

Later on Wednesday, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry summoned the Iranian Ambassador to Iraq to protest against the missile attack.

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Iraq News

Iraq fails third time to elect new President

Iraq fails third time to elect new President

The Iraqi Parliament on Wednesday failed for the third time to elect a new President after failing to reach a quorum amid ongoing political disputes…reports Asian Lite News

At the beginning of the session, the Speaker of the Council of Representatives (Parliament) announced that the quorum set at two-thirds of the house’s 329 members had not been achieved to elect the President, Xinhua news agency reported, citinag a statement by the Parliament’s media office.

The Parliament continued its regular session and adjourned it without giving a new date, the statement said.

Earlier, the Parliament set March 30 as the date for a new session to elect the President, with some 40 candidates competing for the post.

ALSO READ: Iraq’s Parliament postpones vote on new President to March 30

The repeated failure to elect a new President came amid a political row among Shiite parties.

Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s Sadrist Movement has vowed to form a new national majority from the winning parties in the elections, after his followers took the lead with 73 seats out of 329-seat Parliament in the elections held on Oct. 10, 2021.

Al-Sadr’s pro-Iranian rivals and some other parties, however, want to form a consensus government to include all political blocs, as was the situation in the successive governments after 2003.

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-Top News Iraq UAE News

Sheikh Mohammed meets Iraqi Kurdistan PM

Sheikh Mohammed meets Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (WAM)

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai met with Masrour Barzani, Prime Minister of the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government…reports Asian Lite News

During the meeting, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed and Prime Minister Masrour Barzani explored new avenues to strengthen bilateral relations between the UAE and Iraq, particularly the Kurdistan Region, in various fields to serve the development goals of both nations.

Sheikh Mohammed meets Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (WAM)

Welcoming the Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed emphasised the strong relationship between the UAE and Iraq. The two sides also discussed a number of regional and global topics of mutual interest.

Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government expressed his happiness at meeting H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and highlighted the close bilateral relations between the UAE and the Kurdistan region in Iraq. He expressed the hope that the visit will usher in a new phase of cooperation across various key sectors.

Sheikh Mohammed meets Prime Minister of Iraqi Kurdistan Regional Government (WAM)

The meeting was attended by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai; H.H. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance; H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Chairman of Dubai Airports and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group; and Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs.

On Sunday morning, Sharjah Ruler Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi received Masrour Barzani.

ALSO READ: Sheikh Mohammed tours India Pavilion

Dr. Sheikh Sultan exchanged joint conversations with Barzani on various topics concerning education, culture, development, and others issues, in addition to discussing opportunities to deepen the relations and enhance cooperation between the two states.

The two sides also discussed the cultural experience of Sharjah, that spans over 40 years, and which was reflected in the level of civilisation and the high position that Sharjah assumed regionally and globally.

At the end of the meeting, His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Barzani exchanged gifts and souvenirs.

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Arab News Iraq News

Iraq’s Parliament postpones vote on new President to March 30

Iraq’s Parliament postpones vote on new President to March 30

Iraq’s Parliament has decided to postpone the vote on a new President to March 30 after failing to reach a quorum due to political disputes among parliamentary political blocs, a state-run TV channel has reported…reports Asian Lite News

Iraq’s parliament held a session on Saturday afternoon with the attendance of 202 lawmakers out of the 329-seat Parliament, and the voting on a new President had to be postponed due to a lack of the required two-thirds quorum of the parliament, according to the Iraqiya channel.

After a short session, the Parliament adjourned its regular session until March 28, while the vote on a new President until March 30 to give the political blocs enough time to negotiate the differences of the political process, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier, the Iraqi Parliament set March 26 as the date for a new Parliament session to elect the President. Some 40 candidates, including President Barham Salih, who represents the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, and Rizgar Mohammed Amin, former chief judge of the Iraqi Special Tribunal that organised the trial of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, would compete for the post.

ALSO READ: Iraq, Saudi discuss Iranian-Saudi talks in Baghdad

The postponement came amid a political row among Shiite parties. Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s Sadrist Movement has vowed to form a new national majority from the winning parties in the elections, after his followers took the lead with 73 seats out of 329-seat parliament in the elections held on October 10, 2021. Al-Sadr’s pro-Iranian rivals, however, want to form a consensus government to include all political blocs, as was the situation in the successive governments after 2003.

Under the Iraqi constitution, lawmakers should elect a new Iraqi President from the candidates by a two-thirds majority of the 329-seat Parliament, and the President is limited to serving two four-year terms.

Once elected, the new President will ask the largest parliamentary bloc to name a Prime Minister-designate to form a government within 30 days.

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Asia News Iraq

Black box of crashed Chinese plane retrieved

pic credits IANS

The black box is being sent to Beijing for decoding, said Official…reports Asian Lite News

 The black box recovered from the China Eastern Airlines passenger plane that crashed into a mountain in Guangxi region earlier this week, is believed to be the cockpit voice recorder, according to an aviation official.

The exterior of the black box has been severely damaged, but its data storage unit is relatively complete despite some damage, Xinhua news agency quoted Zhu Tao, head of the aviation safety office of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, as saying to reporters late Wednesday night.

The black box is being sent to Beijing for decoding, he added.

The plane carrying 132 people crashed on Monday in Tengxian County in the city of Wuzhou.

No survivors have been found so far.

Downloading and decoding the data will take some time, and the process could be prolonged further if the internal storage unit is impaired, Zhu said.

The official said that investigators will continue to search for the flight data recorder, the other black box, to provide a more complete picture of what caused the Boeing 737-800 to crash.

Meanwhile, rescuers have been braving the rain to clear landslide debris and waterlogging at the crash site.

It has been raining continuously since Wednesday evening and although rescuers had cleared landslide debris by Thursday morning, the rain-soaked soil continued to make travel on foot difficult.

They have laid bamboo frames on the ground to facilitate the rescue work.

In the core area of the accident site, excavators and other equipment were also ready to resume work.

The regional meteorological bureau at 8 a.m. Thursday forecast small to moderate rainfall in Tengxian over the next 12 hours, with accumulated rainfall of 5 to 8 mm.

The weather is expected to continue to adversely affect the rescue work.

ALSO READ: Russia can’t be expelled from G20, says China