Iraq deepens Iran ties days after US investment push The Iraqi premier visited Tehran shortly after his trip to Washington for talks focusing on economic cooperation and plans to develop a cross-border railway network. Iran
International oil firms halt production in Iraq’s Kurdistan amid US-Iran escalation The move follows the deaths of two US service members in an Iranian attack on Jordan. Iraq
Analysis What Zaidi's Washington visit means for US investment in Iraq Iraq could greatly benefit from US investment in gas capture, which could help reduce the country's dependence on neighboring Iran. By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
Chevron, ConocoPhillips advance Iraq's Hormuz alternatives Oil agreements have been announced or are expected to be signed on Friday, toward the end of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi's visit to the United States. Iraq
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Why Iran, US are drifting back to conflict By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran strikes tankers, US bases as Gulf conflict escalates By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis On first foreign trip, Iraqi PM Zaidi woos Trump but Iran casts long shadow By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Kurds Protest Iraqi Forces Sent To Disputed Region on Syrian Border Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki deploys forces to the Sinjar province, near the Syrian border, upsetting local Kurds and signaling an escalation of the Syrian conflict to Iraq, reports Abdel Hamid Zebari. Iraq
Iraqi Provincial Election Campaigns Begin The electoral campaigns are starting for the April 2013 elections, with calls from senior clerics for clean campaigning by candidates, writes Mustafa al-Kadhimi. Iraq
Iraqi Kurds Seek Recognition Of Genocide by Saddam Nearly 25 years after the Iraqi Kurdish city of Halabja was attacked with chemical weapons, the Kurdistan Regional Government continues to seek international recognition of the Anfal as genocide, reports Abdel Hamid Zebari. Iraq
Speaker Accuses Maliki of Meddling In Iraq's Independent Commissions Iraqi Speaker of the Council of Representatvies Osama Al-Nujaifi has criticized Prime MInister Nouri Al-Maliki for interfering in Iraq's independent commissions, provoking strong responses from Maliki's State of Law Coalition, reports Ali Abel Sadah. Iraq
Finance Minister's Resignation Escalates Iraqi Crisis Mustafa al-Kadhimi asks whether Iraq’s politicians have abandoned negotiations to exploit the ongoing protests for electoral gains. Iraq
Iraqi Politician Attacks Central Bank Corruption The Iraqi Sunni politician Ahmed al-Alwani claims that Iraqi private banks have been involved in schemes to bypass the sanctions imposed on Syria and Iran, reports Omar al-Shaher. Iraq
Maliki Seeks to Improve Ties With Egypt Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has held meetings with his Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood counterpart, Hesham Kandil, in a bid to rebuild ties, but challenges remain, writes Ali Abel Sadah. Egypt
Muqtada al-Sadr Attacks Iraq's Integrity Committee The Iraqi Commission of Integrity has become the latest target in Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr’s campaign against Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in a dispute that began in 2008, writes Ali Abel Sadah. Iraq
Iraq's Border Becomes New Fault Line in Syrian War An ambush on the Iraq-Syria border that killed 62 Syrian soldiers and nine Iraqi guards has brought the Syrian civil war to Iraq, writes Mushreq Abbas. Iraq
In Weak Economy, Iraqis Look for Government Jobs Amid a floundering job market, many Iraqis look to public-sector jobs as a means of stable, permanent employment, reports Omar al-Shaher. Iraq
Iraq Reconstruction Report Documents Waste, Corruption Stuart Bowen, the US official in charge of monitoring $60 billion spent by the US on Iraqi stabilization and reconstruction, says 15% was wasted, millions were stolen and the US government is still not properly organized to carry out such operations, writes Barbara Slavin. Iraq
Hagel, Syria, the P5+1 and Iran The Senate confirmed Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense as the United States announced $60 million in non-lethal aid to the Syrian Opposition Council; Israel, Iraq and Lebanon continue to be concerned about the regionalization of the war in Syria; and Iran puts Syria in play after the P5+1 meetings. Iraq