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Iranian President’s Official Visit to Iraq: Why Matters?
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s first official visit to Iraq resulted in the signing of 14 cooperation agreements across various sectors, reinforcing Tehran’s strategic and economic ties with Baghdad. This report highlights Iraq’s significance in Tehran’s regional strategy and its influence on Baghdad’s political, economic, and security future.
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Iraq: 2 Islamic State Hideouts Dismantled, but Terrorism Still Poses a Threat
The Iraqi military, in collaboration with Kurdish security forces, recently executed a successful operation in Kirkuk, dismantling two Islamic State hideouts. This operation highlights the ongoing threat posed by the Islamic State despite its official defeat in 2017.
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Kurdistan Tourism Sector Analysis
The Kurdistan Region has recently witnessed a significant surge in tourism, with over 1.5 million visitors arriving in the past three months. Ambitious plans unveiled by the Kurdistan Tourism Board aim to attract 20 million tourists annually by 2030, aligning with the government’s economic diversification agenda.
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Interplay of Security Dynamics: Iran’s Response to Kurdish Secessionism and External Alliances
The complex landscape of Iran’s struggle with Kurdish nationalism unfolds as the Iranian leadership confronts secessionist groups along its borders. Amidst international interests and internal challenges, the fight against terrorism, potential destabilisation, and regional alliances shape Tehran’s multifaceted approach to counter these issues.
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The Iraqi crisis: between energy disputes and political stalemate
The ongoing political crisis is not the only issue affecting Iraq. Fight against terrorism, extreme drought, frequent sandstorms, demonstrations against rampant corruption, and a dispute with Iraqi Kurdistan to manage the hydrocarbon fields in the north are challenging the central Government of Baghdad.
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Kurdistan politics and media: a conversation with Dr Nazakat Hussein
Kurdistan is experiencing severe internal complications due to the relationship with the central government in Baghdad and the recent Turkish military operation in the region in which Ankara planned to eliminate PKK members defined by Turkish authorities as “terrorists”.
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Turkey started a military operation in northern Iraq in connection with gas pipelines
In the aftermath of the events in Ukraine and the sanctions imposed on Russia, European countries are straggling in search of alternative gas imports. Turkey started a military operation in northern Iraq to ensure gas supplies from Kurdish fields.
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Germany confirms its military presence in Iraq
On Wednesday, January 12th, 2022, the new German Government decided to extend by nine months the foreign mission in Iraq of the Bundeswehr until the end of October 2022. At the same time, the German Government discussed some adjustments regarding foreign missions to exclude the possibility of using the Bundeswehr in Syria.
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Kurdistan – United States assessed their relations and regional policy
The Manama Dialogue in Bahrain highlighted that the United States are still interested in Middle Eastern geopolitics and dynamics. In this regard, the White House might increase its cooperation and connection with Kurdistan to coordinate the fight against the Islamic State and contrast the Iranian and Russian presence and influence in the region.