28 January 2021
Articles
Rest in Power: Reham Yacoub's assassination casts its long shadow over Iraq Wednesday, 26 August 2020 03:13
Last week, Reham Yacoub, an Iraqi civil activist who has been vocal in the Iraqi protest movement, was assassinated in Basra City, southern Baghdad.She was attacked in her car by gunmen on motorcycles carrying assault rifles. Her assassination is part of a worrying trend of assassinations of activists across Iraq, and specifically Basra. This is not only indicative of a rigorous campaign of repression in Basra since 2018, but also the rapid shrinking of civil space across Iraq. Yacoub was an outspoken woman human…
Iran's stranglehold on Iraq may be starting to falter Tuesday, 18 August 2020 13:38
Is the tide beginning to turn in Iraq? After almost three decades of conflict, insurgency, genocide and foreign meddling, there may be a glimmer of light beginning to appear at the end of the long, dark tunnel. Iraqis must hope that it isn't an oncoming train. Iraq's new prime minister, the former spy chief, 53-year-old Mustafa al-Kadhimi, is unique. He appears to be the first Iraqi to hold the top job who cannot be accused of being an Iranian puppet.…
'Eradicate this deviant policy from its roots' Saturday, 15 August 2020 03:57
Let me extend my greetings and gratitude to the free people of Iran and to the National Council of Resistance and the combatant lady, Maryam Rajavi, and to the participants of today’s program. On this occasion, I would like to speak about the continuation of the clear and impudent meddling of the Iranian regime, which is done aggressively in the region. The exposed and condemned interference of the clerical regime in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Bahrain, and Yemen has added to the complexity…
Protests in Lebanon: Major Blow to Iran Regime and Its Proxy Terrorist Group Hezbollah Wednesday, 12 August 2020 00:46
Massive protests erupted across Lebanon following the horrific explosion in Beirut’s port. Young protesters chanted “revolution,” and angry people targeted corrupt politicians, particularly the Hezbollah terrorist organization, which is funded by the mullahs’ regime. These protests have a direct impact on the Iranian regime and its warmongering policies. In other words, Lebanese people have prioritized cleaning the political atmosphere and getting rid of corrupt politicians, who mostly have ties with the Iranian regime, over any other action, even cleaning the city itself. People’s protests forced the government…
Iraqi protesters need lasting, not interim, solutions Wednesday, 12 August 2020 00:36
The Iraqi government claims to be investigating the killing of peaceful protesters only from last month. It is thus ignoring the 800+ victims who have been killed since the outbreak of the protests in October last year. This reflects the government’s attempt to buy time in order to ignore the wider problem of why we have seen a popular uprising which rejects the sectarian politics in Iraq, poor public services, youth unemployment and the presence of militias in everyday life.…
Kadhimi strives to shore up government credibility through test cases Saturday, 08 August 2020 13:49
BAGHDAD –Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi is quietly but steadily working to establish the rule of law in state institutions, setting an unprecedented example of humility and responsiveness for government leaders. In dealing with three major incidents in the past two weeks, Kadhimi demonstrated his exceptional crisis management capabilities, responding swiftly and firmly to emergencies. The first incident occurred when Iraqi security forces killed protesters in Tahrir Square early last week during a demonstration calling for political reform and state…
Can Iraq’s PM tackle the issue of enforced disappearances? Saturday, 08 August 2020 13:33
Some 8,615 people have been forcibly disappeared in Iraq since 2017, with the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights (IHCHR)now working to discover their fate. Dr Anas Akram Mohammed, member of the Board of Commissioners of the IHCHR, said often people are found in various detention facilities and prisons throughout the country, but there are many cases which remain unsolved. “We are trying our best to increase the trust and cooperation with different security agencies to get information on any…
The Iraq Report: Support for Iran evaporates as tempers and temperatures flare Monday, 03 August 2020 04:16
Protests have once again ignited this week in Iraq as embattled Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi is accused of being no different to any of his predecessors over the past 17 years.The protests again led to deadly violence against demonstrators, and heavy-handed police tactics have led to calls for Kadhimi to resign, placing ever greater pressure on the Iraqi premier as he struggles to balance the interests of both neighbouring Iran and the United States in a country plagued by foreign meddling. Iran’s…
Inside the Iraqi Kleptocracy Saturday, 01 August 2020 04:38
Early last October, while working in his office in Baghdad, a businessman named Hussein Laqees got a phone call from a number he’d never seen before. “We need to talk,” the caller said. The man’s voice was gruff and self-assured, a little menacing. He demanded that Laqees come meet him but refused to give his name. Laqees demurred, and the call ended. He might have forgotten the whole exchange had a colleague not been in touch a few minutes later…
Iraq: Confronting Turks And Iranians Friday, 31 July 2020 18:43
Iran still has enough loyal (to Iran) Iraqi militias to be a threat to the Iraqi government. Most Iraqi politicians and voters want less Iranian influence. Iran wants fewer foreign troops in Iraq. That is a point of contention because Iraqis realize the foreign troops offer some assurance that Western and Arab states would actively assist Iraq if Iran sought to take control via a civil war or invasion. Civil war is the more likely option, but only in an…
Why Iran And China Are Pushing Iraq To Boost Oil Production Friday, 31 July 2020 03:52
There are four key reasons why Iraq is increasing the pace of development on a number of its major oil fields right now. First, it needs the money; second, hitting its own output targets will allow it to challenge Saudi Arabia in Eastern markets; third, it will allow Iran to increase its own oil exports; and, fourth, it is what China wants. Last week’s announcement from Iraq’s Oil Ministry that its Gharraf oilfield has started preparatory works for restarting output…