Power Struggle Over Iraq’s PMF Leadership: Retirement Law Deepens Shiite Divisions
The impending retirements of Abu Fadak al-Muhammadawi, Chief of Staff of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and Abu Zainab al-Lami,…
How Diplomatic Engagement Shapes Political Recognition: Kurdistan Region and Iraq at Munich Security Conference
One of the key roles of comparison in the social sciences is to provide perspective: a striking example of this…
A Bold Theory: Do the PKK-Turkey Talks Signal Regional Realignment Amid the Disruption in the Balance of Power?
In October 2024, two months before the Assad regime’s collapse in Syria, Turkish ultra-nationalist leader Devlet Bahçeli shocked political observers…
Written by
Arivan
How Time as an Active Temporal Tool Shapes the SDF’s Calculations Against Damascus’s New Government
“Time” has emerged as a critical element in the Syrian Kurdish SDF’s strategic calculations regarding its ongoing dispute with the new Damascus government. The Syrian Defence Minister recently told Reuters…
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Arivan
The Policy Implications of Structural Ambiguities in the 2025 KRG-Baghdad Fiscal Agreement
A newly revealed letter from the Iraqi Finance Ministry to the KRG, verified as authentic by both parties, lays the foundation for the “new agreement” on the timely disbursement of…
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Arivan
Kurdistan’s Political Stalemate: 100 Days Without a Government and No Clear Path Forward
KDP-PUK negotiations stall over parallel power structures as region faces mounting economic and security challenges. More than 100 days have elapsed since the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) elections, yet the…
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Arivan
Explained: Understanding the Civil Servant Protests in Kurdistan’s Sulaimani
For over 12 days, civil servants in the Kurdistan Region’s Sulaimani province have been staging protests. Among them, 12 have embarked on a hunger strike. Today, hundreds of demonstrators attempted…
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Arivan
Dueling Between Iraq’s Top Courts Reveals Strategic Divisions in the Pro-Iran Camp
The ongoing power struggle between Iraq’s two highest judicial bodies—the Supreme Judicial Council and the Federal Supreme Court—has reignited over the General Amnesty Law, which was passed by the Iraqi…
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Written by
Arivan
What Trump’s Election Means for the Kurdistan Region?
Instead of a long-form essay, we outline key points that may shape what Trump’s presidency could mean for the Kurdistan Region: Key Determinants: The implications of Trump’s return to office for…
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Written by
Arivan
The case of IQ Company: Corruption Allegations, Business Rivalries, and Power Struggles in Iraq’s Fiber Optic Sector
A series of leaks and media reports have placed Iraqi President Latif Rashid and his close associates at the center of a growing corruption scandal, primarily linked to the lucrative…
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