Mapping Shiite Electoral Competition in Iraq’s 2025 Vote
With Iraq’s parliamentary elections scheduled for November 11, 2025, the Shiite actors which have been the main pillar of the…
Explainer: Why Did Iraq Ban the Madkhali Salafist Movement?
In a controversial move, Iraq’s National Security Advisory Council issued a secret but now-public directive on April 27, 2025, labeling…
Iraqi Parliamentary Election System: How Seats Are Allocated?
Iraq’s upcoming parliamentary election, scheduled for November 11, will determine the makeup of the 329-seat Council of Representatives. Of these…
Written by
Arivan
Explainer: Why is Ahmed Shar’a’s Attendance at the 2025 Arab Summit Dividing Iraq?
In 2011, Ahmed Shar’a, then a recently released al-Qaeda prisoner, left Iraq for Syria, which had just entered the early stages of the Arab Spring. Now, in May 2025, he…
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Arivan
What’s Behind the Two-Day Drone Attacks on the Peshmerga?
For two consecutive days, drone strikes have targeted KDP-affiliated Peshmerga forces stationed at a newly established outpost on a strategic hilltop. In yesterday’s attack, three Peshmerga members were hospitalized—two with…
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Written by
Arivan
Gorran Movement Conference Fails to Meet Quorum, Deepening Party Crisis
The Iraqi Election Commission supervised the Gorran (Change) Movement’s conference today, April 26, aimed at resolving the party’s longstanding internal deadlock. However, the conference failed to meet the required legal…
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Arivan
PUK Reshuffles Party Amid Factional Resurgence and Movement of Disgruntled Leaders
The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), the second-largest political party in the Kurdistan Region, is currently holding its second internal forum, which began yesterday and continues today. The forum is…
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Arivan
What Are the Points of Contention Preventing the Resumption of KRG Oil Exports?
Despite the Iraqi oil minister repeatedly stating over the past two months that the resumption of KRG oil exports is imminent, significant gaps remain between the federal government, the Kurdistan…
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Arivan
Shiite Factions Clash Over PMF Legislation Amid U.S. Pressure and Iraq’s Election Year
In an election year marked by mounting pressure from the new Trump administration, internal rifts among Iraq’s Shiite factions over legislation governing the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) have escalated. Ostensibly,…
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Written by
Arivan
Why is the KRG’s Decision Not to Recognize Halabja’s Anniversary as an Official Holiday Causing Controversy?
Recent debates have emerged surrounding the anniversary of the Halabja chemical attack, observed annually on March 16, specifically regarding whether this date should be recognized as an official holiday. While…
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