Iraq

Iraq says it transported 2 million barrels of crude via Strait of Hormuz

The announcement means ​the company is transporting the crude through the strait rather than delivering it at the port of Basra

Trump hails US military's exit from Iraq after 12 yr Islamic State mission

The US military announced Wednesday that it completed the withdrawal of all American troops from Iraq, ending a 12-year mission to fight the Islamic State group and prompting President Donald Trump to hail the conclusion of "a very expensive excursion into Hell." The last US troops left an air base in northern Iraq under a deal between Baghdad and Washington. Trump, in a social media post, described the withdrawal by a September 30 deadline as "orderly." Appearing soon after at a White House event celebrating Hispanics, he spoke at length about the withdrawal and said, "It's been a long time with very bad decision making that got us involved in this quagmire in the first place. It was a quagmire. For many, many years it lasted. But soon that part of history will be over." He said the shift was a victory for the US, Iraq and a sign of victory over the Islamic State group. The withdrawal, agreed on two years ago, comes against the backdrop of the ongoing war between the United States

Iran says it got US response on ceasefire proposal as Washington exits Iraq

Tehran views the pullout as a victory for its "axis of resistance" of allied armed groups, and a step towards its aim of driving US forces out of the region.

US completes troop withdrawal from Iraq after 12 year anti-ISIS mission

The US military announced on Wednesday that it has completed the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq, ending a 12-year mission to fight the Islamic State group. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell said in a statement that U.S. troops and equipment had completed an "orderly departure" from the last air base where they had been present in northern Iraq. "This milestone reflects the success of a 12-year campaign that defeated ISIS as an organized military threat in Iraq and across the region," he said. "It also marks a transition from a wartime coalition mission to an Iraqi-led security effort supported by a more normal bilateral security relationship.

US forces set to exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran

Iraqi security experts say the withdrawal could give Tehran and its powerful allies free rein, while also allowing other US enemies to stage a comeback, including Islamic State

Turkiye to withdraw forces from Iraq base, hand over control to Baghdad

Turkiye has agreed to gradually withdraw forces from a strategic military base in northern Iraq and hand over its control to the Iraqi government, following a meeting between the two countries' leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Iraq, meanwhile, pledged to remove armed groups that Turkiye considers security threats from the region of Sinjar, in northwestern Iraq, according to a joint statement issued after the meeting late Wednesday between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. "In light of the progress Iraq has achieved through security measures, Turkish forces will gradually hand over the Bashiqa-Zelikan camp to the Iraqi federal government, in accordance with the agreed-upon mechanism and timeline," according to the joint statement released by Erdogan and al-Zaidi's offices. Turkiye and Iraq also agreed to "fully extend the authority of the Iraqi state in Sinjar and to end the presence of banned foreign armed .

Iraq says attack on Saudi Arabia's pipeline originated from its territory

Iraq said attacks on a key Saudi oil pipeline were launched from its territory, as US President Donald Trump appeared to blame Iran. Meanwhile, the number of displaced people in Yemen is rising quickly after a swift advance by Iran-backed Houthi rebels threatens a key alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb. And Lebanon and Israel will hold new direct talks next month. Here's a look at the latest news in the Middle East. Iraq dismisses commander over Saudi pipeline attacks ----------------------------------------------------------- Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered an investigation into the operations command in Maysan province, which borders Iran, and dismissed its commander after authorities determined that the attacks on the Saudi pipeline were launched from the province, the government said. The Saudi Foreign Ministry blamed the attacks on drones that came from Iraq and said the kingdom would not retaliate to give the Iraqi government "an opportunity to take

Iraq and Turkiye ink 1-year oil pipeline deal amid Hormuz tensions

Iraq and Turkiye signed a deal Saturday to increase oil exports through a pipeline to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, as Baghdad seeks to diversify its oil export routes and reduce reliance on Gulf shipping lanes. Iraqi Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair al-Abadi said in a statement that the agreement will remain in effect for one year while the two countries finalise a broader framework agreement covering cooperation in the oil, electricity and water resources sectors. The agreement comes as Iraq moves to strengthen the resilience of its oil export infrastructure following disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the US-Iran war began in February. Al-Abadi said the deal provides for a minimum export volume of 750,000 barrels of Iraqi crude per day through the pipeline, which runs from Kirkuk in northern Iraq to Ceyhan. The Iraq-Turkiye pipeline has been largely idle since 2023 after exports from Iraq's semiautonomous Kurdish region were halted followi

Jordan intercepts Iranian missiles as US-Saudi launch strikes in Iraq

Jordan's air defences intercepted five missiles launched from Iran early Wednesday, the country's military said, hours after the US military said it had knocked down an Iranian missile barrage launched against American forces in the Middle East, shattering a brief pause in fighting. In a statement, the Jordanian military said the missiles had been "intercepted and destroyed." Earlier, US Central Command said they "remain vigilant and at a high state of readiness," and that it worked with Saudi Arabia's forces to strike sites in Iraq that Tehran-backed militias have used to launch attacks in recent days. In announcing the strikes in Iraq, the US warned that further attacks on American troops or Saudi Arabia's energy infrastructure risked additional action. The United States and Iran had experienced a period of calm, during which neither announced attacks for about three days following weeks of escalation over the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf waterway and narrow ...

US oil firms sign $60 bn deals with Iraq to reduce reliance on Hormuz route

US companies signed roughly USD 60 billion in agreements and partnerships with the Iraqi government Friday, including deals intended to create alternative routes for shipping oil out of the Persian Gulf. The deals, signed at the US Chamber of Commerce, also involved other industries, including healthcare, communications and infrastructure. It's not clear when the oil deals will be able to create viable alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of the world's oil flows. Goldman Sachs estimates that pipelines in just one country take at least two and a half years to build, and these pipelines would travel through two or more nations. Iran has sought to close the Strait repeatedly since the U.S.-Iran war began Feb. 28, causing sharp gyrations in oil and gas prices. On Friday afternoon, the price of West Texas crude rose nearly 5 per cent to USD 88 a barrel, up from about USD 67 before the war began. It had topped USD 110 in early April before falling back after

US military to leave Iraq by end of September, ending 23-year presence

The US military will leave Iraq by the end of September, American and Iraqi officials have said, following a 23-year presence that started with the 2003 invasion against Saddam Hussein and ended with much smaller operations against the Islamic State group. President Donald Trump, standing alongside Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House on Tuesday, said "we don't think we need the military there anymore" and noted Iraq's growing relationships with oil companies. "The relationship is a whole big relationship where we don't need the military," Trump said. "We're there to help them. We're there to protect them if need be. But we don't think that's going to be necessary." Speaking through an interpreter, al-Zaidi said "US forces will be out of Iraq" by Sept. 30, "while US companies will be inside Iraq." The Pentagon said in a subsequent statement that it was reaffirming a 2024 agreement with Iraq to end its mission against IS fighters. Many of the US troops still serving

MRPL first state refiner to charter Iraqi crude cargo since Hormuz blockade

MRPL has booked the Aframax tanker Jasmin Joy to load crude from Iraq's ‌Basrah oil terminal on July 19-20

Fifa World Cup 2026: Haaland stars with brace in Norway's 4-1 win over Iraq

Erling Haaland scored the first two FIFA World Cup goals of his career and set up another as Norway defeated Iraq 4-1 in their Group I opener on Wednesday morning

Iraq's dominant bloc nominates Ali al-Zaidi for PM after weeks of talks

Iraq's dominant parliamentary bloc on Monday nominated Ali al-Zaidi, a businessman and political newcomer, to be the country's prime minister. The announcement by the Coordination Framework, a coalition of Shiite parties allied with Iran, followed a meeting at the government palace. It came after weeks of internal debate among its member parties aimed at selecting a compromise candidate to lead the next government. Even with the backing of the dominant bloc, the new government is not assured of receiving the required number of votes. The coalition had previously said it would back former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who the US administration views as too close to Iran. US President Donald Trump publicly announced his opposition to al-Maliki and threatened to cut off aid to Iraq if he was appointed. While al-Maliki remained defiant after Trump's intervention, the bloc decided to shift to a compromise candidate. In a statement announcing al-Zaidi's nomination, the Coordination

US turns up pressure on Iraq to distance itself from Iran-linked militias

Washington is demanding that the Baghdad government dismantle Iran-backed Iraqi militias that have been attacking Americans and US sites there recently

US sanctions Iran-backed Iraqi militia leaders; warns over Hormuz security

The US imposed sanctions on seven senior commanders of Iraqi militias that are supported by Iran, including groups like Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl al-Haq, for allegedly planning and carrying out attacks on US personnel and coalition forces in the region. Officials have said the move is part of a broader effort to counter Iran's influence in Iraq and deter further violence against US interests. The action also signifies a US strategy of using economic pressure, not just military force, to target Iran's network of allies, while warning global banks and firms to stop doing business with anyone tied to these groups. "We will not allow Iraq's terrorist militias, backed by Iran, to threaten American lives or interests," Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said Friday. "Those who enable these militias' violence will be held accountable." US Central Command says ships moving through Strait of Hormuz ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "We'll s

Strait of Hormuz blockade impact: 2.3mbpd oil supply at risk, says Nomura

Iran, according to Nomura's estimates, has been the biggest beneficiary since the war broke out in terms oil revenues that rose 36 per cent y-o-y in March 2026 to $5.7 billion

Iraq elects Kurdish politician Nizar Amidi as president amid war fallout

Iraq's parliament voted Saturday to elect Nizar Amidi, a political official with one of the country's two main Kurdish parties, as president, five months after a parliamentary election that didn't produce a bloc with a decisive majority. His election comes as Iraq is reeling from the fallout of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Iraq became caught in the middle of the conflict, with Iran-backed militias launching attacks on US bases and diplomatic facilities as well as on critical energy infrastructure. Meanwhile, the US and Israel carried out airstrikes targeting the militias, some of which killed members of the Iraqi military. The war and Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz also largely halted the oil exports upon which Iraq's economy depends. Amidi, a member of the political bureau of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party, beat out a roster of candidates that included Iraq's current Foreign Minister, Fuad Hussein, who was the pick of the rival Kurdistan Democratic Party. By ...

Suspending operations for two weeks, says Iraq's Islamic Resistance

Iran-backed Islamic Resistance in Iraq has suspended its operations in Iraq and across the region for two weeks

Iraq welcomes ceasefire between US and Iran, calls for 'serious' dialogue

Iraq also called for building on this positive step by launching serious and sustainable dialogue tracks that address the root causes of the disputes and enhance mutual trust