Soleimani’s legacy opens a new front in Iraq… A long war awaits Trump

More than six years after the assassination of former Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani, his legacy is haunting US President Donald Trump, but this time through the network of armed factions that he helped build inside Iraq, which appear capable of transferring the war from Iran to Iraqi territory, and opening new fronts that make the confrontation longer, more complex and costly. News

According to a report by the British newspaper “The Telegraph,” translated by Shafaq News Agency, the Iraqi factions represent one of the most important cards of power that Tehran possesses to plunge the United States and its allies into a multi-front conflict, and to turn Iraq into an alternative arena of confrontation, while Iran remains relatively far from direct strikes.

According to the report, Soleimani’s strategy, based on building armed groups outside Iran’s borders, appears to be achieving one of its goals, after the American and Saudi strikes moved into Iraq, instead of the confrontation remaining confined to Iranian territory.

He pointed out that more than six years after the assassination of Soleimani and the deputy head of the Popular Mobilization Forces, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, in an American strike in Baghdad, carried out on Trump’s orders, Iraqi factions have returned to the heart of the regional conflict.

The report noted that the United States and Saudi Arabia held factions within the Popular Mobilization Forces responsible for attacks targeting their interests, before carrying out joint strikes on Popular Mobilization Forces sites inside Iraq, resulting in dozens of deaths and injuries.

The British report argued that these developments revived the model of conflict that Soleimani had worked to establish: armed groups capable of targeting Iran’s adversaries from outside its borders, and pushing them to retaliate in other arenas.

According to the report, moving the strikes to Iraq could give Tehran a strategic advantage by expanding the scope of the war and involving new parties and fronts, thus raising the cost of the confrontation and making it more difficult for Washington to control its course.

The report explained that the armed groups that emerged after the American invasion of Iraq in 2003 gradually transformed into a powerful military, political and economic force, noting that some factions possess arsenals that include long-range missiles and anti-aircraft weapons, in addition to networks of influence within political and economic institutions.

He pointed out that its influence is no longer limited to the military aspect, as it has political parties, seats in the House of Representatives, and positions within state institutions, in addition to commercial interests and extensive economic networks. This overlap between weapons, politics, and the economy has made the factions more entrenched, and has transformed them from armed groups into forces that are difficult to deal with as separate entities from the state.

The newspaper quoted an Iranian analyst as saying that the Iraqi factions represent “important assets,” but added that complete control over them remains a complex task.

The analyst said these groups were useful to Iran in keeping the threat of ISIS away from its borders, and that they are currently being used to put pressure on the United States and expand the scope of the war, but he warned that Tehran may ask more of the factions than they can deliver, saying that the Iranian regime “expects more from them than they can do.”

He pointed out that these groups are not easy targets, due to their reliance on social and local networks, which gives them the ability to reorganize and continue even if they are subjected to military strikes.

The report quoted another analyst based in Tehran as saying that the factions may not have the ability to change the military balance of power, but they are capable of expanding the war and moving it into Iraq, adding that “their main mission is to move the war from Iran to Iraq, and that opening an Iraqi front will lead to the involvement of new parties and increase the complexity of the conflict.”

He argued that the United States could inflict significant damage on the factions in a short period, but that any large-scale military campaign could make Iraq an official part of the war, which might align with Tehran’s interests. He said that the expansion of the number of fronts and players would make the war more costly and difficult, and could put the Trump administration in front of a long confrontation whose results could not be controlled.

According to an Iranian official who spoke to the newspaper, Tehran will defend the Iraqi factions in the same way it supported the Lebanese Hezbollah.

The report quoted the official as saying that these groups represent “the backbone of the resistance forces in the region,” and that their multiplicity and proximity to Iran constitute a source of strength for them.

He added that some members of the factions were present in Iran during the war, to help support the security forces, control the streets, and prevent anti-government protests.

He noted that some of these individuals have begun returning to Iraq following recent developments, while the official stated that aid “has already begun its way to Iraq” to support the factions and enable them to defend themselves.

After reviewing the history of the emergence and development of the factions and the formation of the Popular Mobilization Forces, the report indicated that groups close to Iran, such as Kataib Hezbollah, Asaib Ahl al-Haq and Harakat al-Nujaba, represent one of the most important pillars of Iranian influence inside Iraq.

He pointed out that the United States has designated a number of these groups as “terrorist” organizations, while some factions have refused full integration into the Iraqi armed forces, and have clung to their affiliation with what is known as the “axis of resistance” and their connection to the principle of “Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist.”

According to the British report, the integration of the factions into the Iraqi political and security structure makes weakening or dismantling them a very complex task, despite the continued American pressure on Baghdad to limit their influence and control their weapons.

He stated that military experts believe that the Iraqi Prime Minister cannot dissolve the Popular Mobilization Forces with a unilateral decision, and that ending its existence cannot be achieved with a religious edict, given the political weight that the factions and parties allied with it possess within the House of Representatives, noting that the forces associated with the Popular Mobilization Forces do not seem ready to vote against its continued existence or to give up its political and military influence.

According to the report, the United States and its allies do not want the pressure on the factions to lead to the collapse of the Iraqi state or to turn the country into a chaotic arena similar to Syria.

But this caution, according to the newspaper, gives the factions more room to maneuver, and makes dealing with them more complicated, especially given their connection to state institutions and their extensive political and  economic influence.

The Telegraph report concluded that the Popular Mobilization Forces are now in the position that Iran wants them to be: an inseparable part of the Iraqi state, difficult to get rid of in a “clean” way, and at the same time capable of opening a new front and turning Iraq into a battlefield at any moment.

Shafaq.com

The Minister of Finance requests to appear before Parliament to reveal the truth about the financial crisis in Iraq.

On Monday, Iraqi Finance Minister Faleh Sari submitted a formal request to the Speaker of Parliament to host him at the next parliamentary session dedicated to presenting the financial and economic situation the country is going through. MiddleEast news

Sari said in a statement received by Shafaq News Agency that the request to host the meeting stems from the ministry’s keenness to present the people’s representatives with an accurate picture of the financial and economic reality, the measures taken by the ministry to ensure the fulfillment of the state’s basic obligations, the continuation of the implementation of financial and administrative reform programs, and to explain the most prominent challenges facing public finances in light of the current regional changes.

Iraqi government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi confirmed that Iraq is facing “severe” financial challenges, noting that the government needs about 10.8 trillion dinars monthly to cover employee salaries and public expenses, while the country’s oil revenues do not exceed 2.5 trillion dinars.

Al-Aboudi acknowledged in a televised statement that this financial crisis has directly affected the salary distribution schedule, leading to delays and irregularities in payment compared to previous months, stressing that this situation will continue until the government is able to cover the existing financial deficit.

Earlier, Iraqi Health Minister Abdul Hussein Al-Moussawi said that the government is facing a liquidity crisis that has made securing salaries its priority, while confirming that the General Company for Marketing Drugs and Medical Supplies (Kimadia) has received only 15% of its budget, which has led to its bankruptcy, the disruption of new contracts, and the threat to drug supplies.

Shafaq.com

Fox Refinery: The gasoline crisis is regional and will end in Sulaymaniyah within two months.

Sardar Haji Khalid, owner of the Fox refinery for oil derivatives, confirmed on Monday that the current gasoline crisis is not limited to the Kurdistan Region, but extends to most countries in the region, expecting the price hike crisis in Sulaymaniyah Governorate to end within two months. News

Khaled said during a press conference attended by Shafaq News Agency that “the current crisis is global in nature and has affected all countries in the region, as they too are suffering from a shortage of gasoline.”

He added that “gasoline was previously smuggled to the cities of Erbil and Sulaymaniyah from Iraqi regions, but that has now stopped, which has led to higher prices.”

He pointed out that “the daily need for gasoline during the summer is about seven million liters, while only three million liters are currently available, which calls for taking urgent measures to address the shortage.”

He continued: “I bring good news to the citizens of Sulaymaniyah that the crisis of high gasoline prices in the city will end within the next two months.”

For his part, Bahman Abdul Qadir, spokesman for the owners of gas stations in Sulaymaniyah, said during the press conference attended by Shafaq News Agency that “the decrease in gasoline prices remains dependent on the improvement of the general conditions in the region,” calling on citizens not to expect a decrease in prices before those conditions stabilize.

The “Fuchs” refinery is an oil facility located in the Arabat area of ​​Sulaymaniyah, operating with a production capacity of 6,500 barrels per day to produce gasoline, liquefied gas and benzene.

The gasoline crisis in the Kurdistan region is worsening, as most gas stations experienced shortages or a lack of fuel last week, causing long queues of vehicles in front of the stations that continued to operate on a limited basis, despite recent government decisions to reduce prices.

Before the shortage worsened, the price of a liter of “super” gasoline at commercial stations reached about 2,000 dinars, and the price of “improved” reached about 1,750 dinars, while the price of regular “normal” gasoline exceeded 1,300 dinars, before these types disappeared from a large number of stations.

The acting Minister of Natural Resources in the Kurdistan Regional Government, Kamal Muhammad, confirms that the rise in gasoline prices in the region is mainly due to the inadequacy of the allocated quantities of fuel, and he indicated that the federal government is currently supplying the region with only fifty thousand barrels per day, which is an amount that does not meet the actual need.

Shafaq.com

Expectations are that oil flow between Iraq and Turkey will continue, with discussions underway to extend the agreement.

Two Turkish sources suggested on Thursday that crude oil would continue to flow from Iraq to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, as Baghdad and Ankara continue their negotiations to extend the agreement to operate the pipeline for an additional 12 months, according to Reuters. DailyNews Reports

One of the sources said that the Iraq-Türkiye pipeline, which is the only functioning outlet for Iraqi oil exports, will continue its operations while talks between the two sides continue to reach a new agreement.

The decades-long bilateral agreement expired last Monday, but Baghdad and Ankara did not sign a new extension during Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Zaidi’s visit to Turkey and his meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday.

Neither the Turkish Ministry of Energy nor the Iraqi Ministry of Oil has issued any official comment on the progress of the negotiations so far.

Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar had announced earlier this month that the two countries had reached a preliminary understanding on extending the agreement for a year, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan confirmed last Tuesday that the two sides are seeking to sign a comprehensive energy cooperation agreement “as soon as possible”.

The anticipated extension is expected to provide time to complete negotiations on a more comprehensive agreement, given Turkey’s desire to fully utilize the 1.5 million barrel-per-day pipeline, while also exploring the possibility of extending it to oil fields in southern Iraq.

Turkish data showed that the pipeline is currently transporting about 170,000 barrels of oil per day.

Shafaq.com

Liquidity shortages threaten Iraqi private banks and push towards mergers to settle obligations.

A banking source revealed on Thursday that there is a shortage of liquidity in a number of private banks in Iraq, attributing this to the limited deposits and the decline in citizens’ confidence in private banks, which has weakened their ability to meet some local and international obligations and the requirements of the Central Bank of Iraq. DailyNews Reports

The source told Shafaq News Agency that this situation may push towards the merger of a number of banks, noting that mergers also come within the requirements of reforming the banking sector and trends related to international standards.

He added that banks are required to have financial assets and insurance with the Central Bank of Iraq, explaining that a bank that suffers from weak assets or is unable to meet its obligations towards citizens may be subject to closure, provided that the rights of depositors are dealt with in accordance with the approved principles and controls.

The source explained that merging struggling or liquidity-deficient banks does not necessarily mean the loss of citizens’ money, as financial obligations and rights remain in place, but the recovery of funds may not be as quick and easy as depositors expect.

He pointed out that addressing the liquidity shortage problem requires restructuring the banking sector and strengthening confidence in local banks, in addition to increasing their ability to comply with regulatory and financial requirements, which contributes to reducing the risks of default and protecting depositors’ funds.

Shafaq.com

The “Sadiqun” bloc requests an emergency parliamentary session and the summoning of al-Zaydi, ministers, and security leaders.

On Thursday, the “Sadiqun” parliamentary bloc submitted a request to the Speaker of Parliament to hold an emergency session within 48 hours to discuss the targeting of the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces and what it described as a “violation of national sovereignty,” which included a number of demands and governmental and parliamentary measures. DailyNews Reports

A document signed by the head of the parliamentary bloc, Uday Awad Kazem Mahmoud Al-Hussein, and received by Shafaq News Agency, stated that the request was based on the provisions of the Constitution and the internal regulations of the House of Representatives, in light of the attack that targeted, at dawn on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces in seven governorates, which resulted in the killing of at least 20 members of the organization and the injury of 32 others, in addition to material damage.

The bloc demanded that the session be dedicated to discussing the attack and its repercussions, and that the Prime Minister, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces (Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi), the Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs, the National Security Advisor, the Head of the Popular Mobilization Forces, and the Head of the National Intelligence Service be hosted to provide an official briefing on the incident and the measures taken.

It also called for the formation of a joint parliamentary investigation committee from the Security and Defense and Foreign Relations Committees, with membership from the Legal Committee and the Martyrs and Victims Committee, to investigate the circumstances of the attack and evaluate the air defense system, and to submit its report within 15 days.

The request included voting on a parliamentary resolution that included condemning the attack, obligating the government to provide a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq, reviewing security agreements and understandings, submitting a complaint to the UN Security Council, the UN Secretary-General, the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, in addition to summoning the heads of the relevant diplomatic missions and handing them a protest note, and compensating the families of the dead and wounded.

The bloc also demanded that the draft laws on service and retirement for the Popular Mobilization Forces and the structure and organization of the Popular Mobilization Forces be included among the legislative priorities, in addition to obligating the government to submit an urgent plan to develop defense capabilities and purchase air defense systems, with a report to be submitted to the House of Representatives within 30 days.

According to the document, the request was signed by 28 members of the Sadiqun parliamentary bloc, noting that the bloc will later submit supplementary signatures from allied parliamentary blocs to complete the constitutionally stipulated quorum.

On Wednesday morning, the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces in various parts of Iraq were subjected to a Saudi-American bombing that resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries, amid popular and official condemnation.

Shafaq.com

Three giant oil tankers docked at Basra port for loading with a capacity of 5 million barrels.

A source at the Iraqi Ports Company reported on Thursday that three crude oil tankers with a capacity of 5 million barrels have docked at the port of Basra in preparation for loading and sailing to global oil markets. DailyNews Reports

The source told Shafaq News Agency that the three tankers (which are chartered by Indian and Chinese nationals) docked at the single-point mooring berths in the Basra oil port, including two tankers with a capacity of two million barrels each, and a third tanker with a capacity of one million barrels.

The source added that other tankers will arrive successively, including tankers on their way to Iraqi territorial waters and others in the waiting area to enter the port.

This comes in conjunction with what the Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced last Tuesday, that the country’s crude oil exports exceeded 32 million barrels, with financial revenues amounting to more than $2.3 billion during the past two months of May and June, based on the final statistics of the Iraqi Oil Marketing Company (SOMO).

The release of these statistics comes after a period of not regularly disclosing export and revenue data, following regional tensions that affected energy supply chains and maritime navigation in the region during the past months.

In this regard, oil expert Hamza Al-Jawahiri explained in an interview with Shafaq News Agency that the irregularity of export operations and the difficulty in stabilizing exported quantities have affected the mechanism for issuing official statistics, indicating that the lack of regular confirmation of export data limits transparency and makes it difficult to accurately assess the performance of the oil sector and the revenues achieved.

It is worth noting that the Ministry of Oil had stopped publishing regular monthly statistics on exports and revenues since the release of the report for last April.

Shafaq.com

Iraqi private banks are facing increasing pressure to meet the requirements of the US Federal Reserve and have sanctions lifted.

Banking sources revealed on Thursday new and urgent directives to private banks in Iraq, aimed at completing the requirements that were raised during Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi’s visit to Washington, in preparation for completing the procedures to lift the sanctions and restrictions imposed on a number of banks. DailyNews Reports

The sources told Shafaq News Agency that the requirements that were emphasized include strengthening anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing measures, compliance and governance, tightening control over dollar movement, preventing smuggling and illegal transfers, as well as implementing a package of new banking instructions and procedures within specific time limits.

According to the sources, private banks have begun implementing the urgent instructions issued by the Central Bank of Iraq in this regard, amid warnings that failure to complete the requirements within the specified timeframes may lead to the bank being deprived of international banking facilities and transactions, which requires the administrations to expedite the completion of the required files and procedures.

In this context, a number of employees in private banks reported that the administrations imposed a high work pace to complete the requirements within the specified period, noting that some employees work about 12 hours a day due to the volume of procedures and files that need to be completed.

The employees added that the continuous work pressure caused, according to their statements, a state of extreme exhaustion and recorded cases of fainting among some employees as a result of the large working hours and deductions, while the banks are communicating with the regulatory authorities to complete the required requirements within the specified timetable.

These measures come as part of the Iraqi banking sector’s efforts to comply with international standards and strengthen its relationship with the global financial system, in light of the tightening of US control over the movement of dollars and financial transfers related to Iraq.

The media office of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced on July 18 that the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Nizar Nasser Hussein, held a series of high-level meetings with officials at the US Treasury, which resulted in a common understanding to return restricted Iraqi banks to foreign correspondent banking channels not linked to the US dollar.

For his part, the governor of the central bank confirmed that there are 7 banks currently qualified to return and operate within the external banking correspondent channel not linked to the dollar (in other currencies), so that they will have the right later to deal in the US dollar after passing other stages of compliance and governance requirements.

This came in conjunction with the Prime Minister’s welcoming of the understanding reached between the Central Bank of Iraq and the US Treasury Department, describing it as “an important step in the path of reforming the banking sector and enhancing its integration into the global financial system.”

It is noted that at the beginning of 2024, an official document issued by the Central Bank of Iraq showed that 8 Iraqi banks were banned from participating in the foreign currency buying and selling window.

The document, which was reviewed by Shafaq News Agency, included a ban on those banks from participating in the foreign currency buying and selling window and from dealing in dollars.

The eight banks are: (Iraqi Investment Bank, Kurdistan International Islamic Bank, Iraqi Union Bank, Al-Huda Bank, Ashur International Investment Bank, South Islamic Bank for Investment and Finance, Arab Islamic Bank, and Hammurabi Commercial Bank).

Shafaq.com

“There’s no money”… Iraqi minister: The government is only thinking about securing salaries

Iraqi Health Minister Abdul Hussein Al-Moussawi acknowledged on Thursday that the government is facing a liquidity crisis that has made securing salaries its priority, while confirming that the General Company for Marketing Drugs and Medical Supplies (Kimadia) has received only 15% of its budget, which has led to its bankruptcy, the disruption of new contracts, and a threat to drug supplies.

During his speech in a video recording, which was reviewed by Shafaq News Agency, Al-Moussawi stood up from his seat and addressed the audience, saying: “There is no money… the government’s only concern is to provide salaries from the 1st to the 29th of the month,” indicating that the value of the salaries that need to be provided monthly amounts to “10 trillion and 800 million dinars per month.” DailyNews Reports

The minister explained that the decline in revenues from the currency auction window to between one billion and one and a half billion dollars per month, equivalent to about 2.2 trillion dinars, was directly reflected in the financing of the “Kimadia” company, which he said had received only 15% of its annual dues.

He added that the financial crisis led to a halt in the signing of new contracts for the current year, and prompted supplier companies to stop shipments of previously contracted medicines, which, he said, caused a decline in services within hospitals.

Earlier, Shafaq News Agency , quoting an informed source, reported that the process of distributing state employees’ salaries for the current month is expected to begin at the start of next August, amid the continued financial challenges facing the public treasury.

Shafaq.com

Masrour Barzani and Halbousi affirm from Erbil their support for Zaidi in facing challenges and overcoming the current phase.

On Thursday, Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and the head of the “Progress” party, Mohammed al-Halbousi, affirmed their support for the federal government headed by Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi to confront current challenges and overcome the region’s crises. DailyNews Reports

Masrour Barzani said during a joint press conference with Halbousi, “We discussed with Halbousi the bilateral relations that unite us with the ‘Progress’ party, and how to develop joint cooperation in light of the sensitive conditions that Iraq and the region in general are going through.”

He added, “We agreed on the need to cooperate with the federal government in Baghdad, headed by Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi, so that it can manage the numerous crises facing the country and the region under the current circumstances, and we will continue to provide full support to the federal government.”

For his part, the head of the Progress Party, Mohammed al-Halbousi, said during the conference, “We made a visit to the Kurdistan Region and met with the leadership of the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, and we exchanged talks on strengthening cooperation between the political parties, preserving the gains of the people, and discussing developments in the region.”

Al-Halbousi continued: “We renewed our support for our Iraqi government and its Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi to maintain security, stability and sovereignty for Iraq away from disputes,” stressing that “all parties and political forces should put the higher interests of the Iraqi people in mind.”

Shafaq.com