Analysis What Qaani's Baghdad visit reveals about Iran's post-war dilemma The Quds Force commander's Baghdad visit is occurring as Iran faced difficult choices in Iraq where the government is moving to bring powerful armed groups under state control after the recent war. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
IRGC chief Qaani reportedly in Iraq ahead of militia deadline Esmail Qaani, who heads the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Quds Force, has been heavily involved in Iran’s relations with Iraqi militias. Iraq
Analysis How Turkey is deepening energy and economic ties with Iraq as Iran weakens Turkey and Iraq are accelerating energy, infrastructure and trade cooperation as the Hormuz crisis increases the strategic value of northern export routes. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Israel strikes south Lebanon after 2 soldiers killed Tehran says Iran, Oman agree on Hormuz shipping route; US lifts sanctions on Iraqi airline linked to Iran's IRGC; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran denies negotiations with US after Trump calls off strikes By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Some Iraqis remain in Damascus despite war Many Iraqis who live in Syria prefer to stay despite the war, because they consider the killings in Baghdad to be more "random." Iraq
Iraqi security services infiltrated by terrorists Extremist militias are acquiring official security and military uniforms and equipment which allow them to further compromise the country’s already unstable security situation. Iraq
Internal disagreements could lead to al-Qaeda split Recent disagreements between al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri and ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi could lead to major splits within the organization. Iraq
Kiss sparks debate in Iraqi Kurdistan On the charred remains of a modern symbol of love in the Iraqi Kurdistan city of Sulaimaniyah, a young couple sparked a public debate about the religious versus secular nature of Iraqi Kurdish society. Iraq
Does Washington have a policy toward Syria’s Kurds? The view from Washington about US policy toward Syria may be more confusing than it looks from Turkey. Iraq
Small victory for Iraqi civil society on pension law While civil activists successfully brought an end to unfair parliamentary salaries and pensions last month, many gaps in Iraqi law persist. Iraq
Iraqi Kurdistan more vulnerable to Al-Qaeda attacks The war in Syria, including the spread of radical Islamist terrorists, is spilling over into the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Iraq
Iraqi debate over Baghdad as Arab cultural capital As events to recognize Baghdad as the Arab Capital of Culture for 2013 get underway, Iraqis artists and creative producers express their discontent with the Ministry of Culture . Iraq
Iraqi children face poverty, violence, exploitation Iraq's children are the victims of widespread poverty, political dysfunction and sectarian violence. Iraq
The return of Turkey’s 'zero problems' policy Turkey rebuilds ties to Iran and Iraq and faces the realization that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will likely be part of the transition in Syria. Iraq
Iraqi checkpoints provide little security In the ever-volatile Iraqi capital, many citizens fail to feel reassured by the hundreds of security checkpoints that mostly slow down daily life around the city. Iraq
Levant Christians consider threats to their communities During a gathering of Christian representatives from various Near East countries in Beirut, participants were divided when it came to determining their main enemy and strategies for the future. Yemen