Iraq

13 January 2020; AFP: Iraqi officials fear economic "collapse" if Washington imposes threatened sanctions, including blocking access to a US-based account where Baghdad keeps oil revenues that feed 90 percent of the national budget.

US President Donald Trump was outraged by the Iraqi parliament voting on January 5 to oust foreign forces, including some 5,200 American troops, who have helped local soldiers beat back jihadists since 2014.

11 Jan 2019; MEMO: On Friday, the Iraqi government asked Washington to formulate the mechanism for the withdrawal of its forces from Iraq.

The government of Adil Abdul-Mahdi called on the US administration to send delegates to Baghdad, to put in place a plan for the safe withdrawal of US forces.

The Iraqi request was made during a phone call between the head of the Iraqi caretaker government, Abdul-Mahdi, and US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo.

11 Jan 2019; MEMO: Iraqi news websites have published leaked pictures from inside the US Ain Al-Assad Airbase in the Iraqi governate of Al Anbar, following the Iranian missile strike, Arabi21.com reported on Friday.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq’s top Shi’ite Muslim cleric on Friday condemned mutual U.S. and Iranian attacks on Iraqi soil and warned of deteriorating security in the country and wider region as a result of Washington’s standoff with Tehran.

The United States killed Iran’s top military commander Qassem Soleimani and Iran-backed in an air strike next to Baghdad airport on Jan. 3. Iran responded late on Tuesday by firing missiles at U.S.-led forces in Iraq.

09 Jan 2019; MEMO: Iran informed Iraq before striking the Ain Al-Assad Air Base with missiles on Tuesday evening, a military spokesperson for Iraq’s caretaker government said.

The statement clarified that “shortly after midnight on Wednesday 8/1/2020, we received an official verbal message by the Islamic Republic of Iran, informing us that the Iranian response to the assassination of the martyr Qassem Soleimani had begun or would start soon.”

08 Jan 2019; MEMO: With the risk of being caught in the cross fire of the conflict between US and Iran, Iraq’s Kurds are appealing to both parties to keep the region out of the conflict.

Leaders of the Kurdish community met today to discuss the fallout from the latest escalation in conflict which saw Iran launch a series of rockets at US air bases in Iraq.

LONDON/CANBERRA, Jan 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain has reduced staff at its embassies in Tehran and Baghdad to a minimum level due to escalating tensions following the US killing of a top Iranian military leader.

The withdrawal of the diplomats is a precautionary step rather than based on specific intelligence of a threat while ambassadors Rob Macaire in Tehran and Stephen Hickey in Baghdad will remain in place, according to the report, citing diplomatic sources.

06 Jan 2019; MEMO: Iraq’s caretaker Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi revealed yesterday that he was scheduled to meet the Iranian Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani on Friday, the day the US assassinated him in a drone strike in Baghdad.

Abdul-Mahdi told the Iraqi parliament during a session to discuss the foreign presence in Iraq that he was due to discuss efforts to defuse tensions in the region with the deceased general.

BAGHDAD, Jan 6 (NNN-NINA) – The Iraqi parliament passed a draft law, requiring the government to end the presence of foreign forces in Iraq and prevent them from using Iraqi airspace and water.

In an extraordinary session, the lawmakers voted with majority, in favour of passing a law requiring the government to cancel the request for assistance from the international coalition to fight the Daesh group, due to the end of military operations and war in Iraq.

BAGHDAD, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi parliament on Sunday passed a draft law requiring the government to end the presence of foreign forces in Iraq and prevent them from using Iraqi airspace and water.

In an extraordinary session, the lawmakers voted with majority in favor of passing a law requiring the government to cancel the request for assistance from the international coalition to fight Islamic State (IS) group due to the end of military operations and war in Iraq.