Iraq

06 Sep 2021; MEMO: A commander in the powerful Shia Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF) was killed in an attack in central Iraq yesterday, Anadolu reported.

The news agency quoted a local police officer, who asked not to be named, as saying that the car carrying the PMF commander in Babil province, Asif Hassan Karim, was targeted with an explosive device which led to his death.

According to the source, two of Karim's companions sustained moderate injuries.

06 Sep 2021; MEMO: The French company TotalEnergies signed a $27 billion contract with Iraq on Sunday to invest in the country's gas, oil, and solar energy industries. The deal was announced by Iraqi Oil Minister Ihsan Abdul-Jabbar Ismail during a joint press conference with TotalEnergies CEO, Patrick Pouyanne, in Baghdad.

Ismail said that the deal aims to reduce Iraq's reliance on fossil fuel. "This is the largest investment by a Western company in Iraq," he added. "Implementing these projects is the challenge we now face."

03 Sep 2021; MEMO: The Iraqi water resources minister has expressed the desire to reach an understanding with Turkey over their shared waters.

According to a statement by the Water Resources Ministry, Mahdi Rashid Al-Hamdani met the Turkish ambassador to Baghdad Ali Riza Guney late yesterday.

Both the officials reviewed the issue of their shared waters. Al-Hamdani stressed on the importance of cooperation to administer the water flow in the Tigris River.

29 Aug 2021; MEMO: The head of northern Iraq's Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), Nechirvan Barzani, held talks on Sunday with French President Emmanuel Macron on bilateral relations and the upcoming Iraqi elections, reports

"I'm delighted to welcome my friend, French President Emmanuel Macron in Erbil," Barzani wrote on Twitter, adding that he "looks forward to discussing bilateral ties, Iraqi elections and other pressing issues with President Macron."

Barzani hailed the French support to the Kurdish region and Iraq.

BAGHDAD, Aug 29 (NNN-NINA) – Iraq yesterday held the Baghdad Conference for Cooperation and Partnership, with the participation of nine countries and several regional and international organisations, to boost security and economic cooperation in the Middle East.

During the opening session, Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, said in his speech that, the convening of the conference embodies Iraq’s vision of establishing “the best relations,” voicing his hope that economic partnerships will be achieved through the gathering.

MOSUL, Iraq (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday visited Iraq’s northern city of Mosul, which suffered widespread destruction during the war to defeat the Islamic State group in 2017. He vowed to fight alongside regional governments against terrorism.

Macron said IS carried out deadly attacks throughout the world from its self-declared caliphate in parts of Syria and Iraq. He said IS did not differentiate between people’s religion and nationality when it came to killing, noting that the extremists killed many Muslims.

29 Aug 2021; MEMO: Saudi-Iranian talks are ongoing in Baghdad to reach an understanding for ending the rift between the two neighbors, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said, reports Anadolu Agency.

On Saturday, Iraq hosted a conference to promote regional cooperation, with the participation of several countries, including Saudi Arabia and Iran.

"What we understand from both sides is that they have a great desire to reach positive results to solve stuck problems between the two countries," Hussein said.

DUBAI, Aug 28 (Reuters) - A top Iranian security official accused U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday of illegally threatening Iran after he said he may consider other options if nuclear diplomacy with Tehran fails.

"The emphasis on using 'other options' against (Iran) amounts to threatening another country illegally and establishes Iran's right to reciprocate ... against 'available options'," Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said on Twitter.

BAGHDAD, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Several Middle Eastern leaders and French President Emmanuel Macron met in Baghdad on Saturday at a summit hosted by Iraq, which wants its neighbours to talk to each other instead of settling scores on its territory.

Iraq's security has improved in recent years but it is still plagued by big power rivalries and heavily armed militia groups.

BAGHDAD, Aug 22 (NNN-NINA) – Visiting Japanese Foreign Minister, Toshimitsu Motegi, yesterday discussed with Iraqi leaders, bilateral ties and regional situation.

Iraqi Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi, invited Japan, as an observer, to attend the Iraqi Neighbouring Countries Conference, scheduled to be held at the end of this month, in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, said a statement of the prime minister’s media office.