Why Is Nechirvan Barzani Meeting with Macron in Paris?

Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani has met today with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. The meeting comes on the…

US Secretary of State Urges Resumption of KRG Oil Exports in Call with Masrour Barzani

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a phone call with KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani to press for the…

Spheres of Influence: Turkey, Israel, and the Future of Northeast Syria

During the Trump–Netanyahu press conference yesterday, President Trump made it clear he intends to accommodate Erdogan’s demands. He even claimed…

The KRG Oil Crisis: How Iraq’s 2023 Legal Victory Evolved into a Strategic Vulnerability

Our recent analysis on KRG oil exports has drawn notable attention—prompting a response from APIKUR, followed shortly by a statement from the Iraqi Oil Ministry addressing APIKUR’s remarks. Both responses…
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Why International Oil Companies Are in No Rush to Resume KRG Oil Exports

Despite the KRG agreeing to a $16-per-barrel production cost and increasing U.S. pressure for exports to resume, and despite repeated promises by Iraq’s oil minister that exports would restart “in…
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Turkmen Front Power Struggle Escalates as Erşat Salihi Defies Leadership by Embracing Expelled Kirkuk Deputy Governor

The internal divisions within the Iraqi Turkmen Front have erupted into the open, following Kirkuk Deputy Governor Yavuz Hamid’s public alignment with the faction led by Erşat Salihi. Hamid, previously…
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What Kurdish Flags Reveal About Newroz Celebrations in Syria

For the first time in decades, Kurds were permitted to celebrate Newroz publicly throughout much of Syria, including Damascus. While Newroz celebrations have been commonplace in areas controlled by the…
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Two Years After the Pipeline Shutdown: Where Do KRG’s Oil Exports Stand?

On the morning of March 25, 2023, Turkey halted oil exports from the Kurdistan Region to the Ceyhan port, following a ruling by the International Court of Arbitration in Paris.…
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Who Gets What in the Next KRG Cabinet? Inside the Stalled KDP–PUK Talks

More than six months have passed since the Kurdistan parliamentary elections, yet the formation of the next Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet remains uncertain. Despite recent meetings between the Kurdistan…
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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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