By John Lee. The US Department of State has designated four Iraqi groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), describing them as Iran-aligned militia groups (IAMGs): Harakat al-Nujaba; Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada; Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya; and Kata'ib al-Imam Ali. Full statement from the US Department of State: The United States remains committed to countering Iran, the […]
By Akeel Abbas for the Atlantic Council. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Can Iraq's partial crackdown on a powerful militia weaken Iran's proxies? The Iraqi government's unprecedented accusation that the US-designated Kataib Hezbollah (KH) carried out a deadly armed attack […]
By John Lee. Iraq's State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) announced that it has reached advanced stages of understanding with America's ExxonMobil to secure storage capacity in Singapore, alongside negotiations on refining and profit-sharing opportunities in the Asian market. SOMO Director General, Ali Nizar Al-Shatri (pictured), told state-owned Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the company is […]
By Jon Wilks, for the Atlantic Council. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Dispatch from Basra: Glimpses of hope in Iraq's forgotten south There is perhaps nowhere else where the high hopes of the new Iraq were so dashed as in […]
By John Lee. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani (pictured) has directed the formation of a high-level investigative committee to examine allegations of corruption involving the mixing and smuggling of crude oil and petroleum products, both at Iraqi ports and within the country's territorial waters. Sudani stressed that there would be zero tolerance in handling […]
From The Economist. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The World's Surprise Boomtown: Baghdad Iraq's population has grown by 20 million since America's invasion. Read the full article here (subscription needed).
By John Lee. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on a network of shipping companies and vessels led by Iraqi-Kittitian businessman Waleed al-Samarra'i, accused of smuggling Iranian oil disguised as Iraqi-origin crude. According to the Treasury, the network covertly blended Iranian oil with Iraqi oil and […]
By Simon Watkins for OilPrice.com. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. U.S. Oil Powerhouse Chevron Is Back In Iraq, But Will It Be Different This Time? U.S. oil and gas supermajor Chevron signed an agreement in principle last week with Iraq's Oil […]
From Amwaj Media. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Baghdad rescinds PMU legislation as US forces redeploy to Iraqi Kurdistan Under reported threat from the US, Iraq's government has withdrawn a controversial draft law that would have significantly reshaped the country's Popular […]
By John Lee. Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa Al-Sudani has overseen the signing of a principles agreement between the Ministry of Oil and US oil company Chevron for the development of several oil projects in Iraq. The agreement covers the Nasiriyah Project, consisting of four exploration blocks, the development of the Balad oil field, and other […]
From Kurdistan24. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. U.S. Sanctions on Iran Derail Crucial Iraq-Turkmenistan Gas Deal The U.S. opposes the Turkmenistan-Iraq gas deal as it routes gas via Iran, allowing Tehran to keep a share as a transit fee and profit […]
By John Lee. The US State Department has reiterated its opposition to proposed legislation in Iraq concerning the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), warning that it could increase Iranian influence and undermine Iraq's sovereignty. Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce (pictured) said Washington opposed any legislation inconsistent with the goals […]
