By Robbie Gramer, for Foreign Policy. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. The U.S. State Department sent Congress this month detailed plans to dramatically and permanently reduce the number of U.S. diplomats in Iraq, a measure that critics say runs directly […]
By Yassir Khudayri, for Open Society Foundations (OSF). In early October 2019, in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square and in many of Iraq’s other major cities, young Iraqis took the streets, chanting slogans such as “with life and blood we defend you, Iraq.” To those unfamiliar with the specifics of political and social life in the Middle East, […]
By James Risen, for The Intercept. Massive, sustained protests in Baghdad and Tehran that have been met with violent responses from security forces throughout the fall and winter have rapidly altered the political dynamics in both Iraq and Iran. But it is still uncertain whether the grassroots anger that has erupted will lead to significant […]
Treasury Sanctions Iran-Backed Militia Leaders Who Killed Innocent Demonstrators in Iraq Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated three leaders of Iran-backed militias in Iraq that opened fire on peaceful protests, killing dozens of innocent civilians. OFAC designated Qais al-Khazali, Laith al-Khazali, and Husayn Falih ‘Aziz al-Lami pursuant […]
Top Mountain and USAID open Business Incubator and Training Center in Erbil Top Mountain, in partnership with USAID, held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the Business Incubator and Employment Program’s first training center. This will be the first of four facilities that Top Mountain will open over the next two months, […]
The children of Iraq are in crisis. An estimated 800,000 were orphaned by the end of the Iraq War. The invasion by ISIS displaced more than 1.3 million. Thousands work on the streets, in homes, or in businesses. They are why the Iraqi Children Foundation (ICF) exists: to intervene on their behalf with love and […]
The Ninewa Investment Forum is taking place from 3rd to 5th December in Erbil. This two-day event will showcase investment-ready businesses to private investors from around the world. Presenting a portfolio of very attractive investment opportunities will spark a virtuous cycle of both exciting project opportunities and increased investor confidence. The event is organized by […]
The following is attributable to US State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus: Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke [on Tuesday] with Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abd al-Mahdi. Secretary Pompeo emphasized that peaceful public demonstrations are a fundamental element of all democracies. The Secretary deplored the death toll among the protesters as a result of the […]
By Michael Knights, for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. U.S. Interests and the Unsustainable Status Quo in Iraq The unprecedented protests in Iraq underline the reality that Iraq is slowly failing as a state. […]
Following the completion of a U.S.-funded, 18-month demining project, the Nineveh provincial government assumed control of the Mosul International Airport during a turnover ceremony on November 5. Demining teams from Janus, TetraTech, and local Iraqi partner Al Fahad carried out the project from April 2018 to October this year. Together, the contractors cleared more than […]
The United States has a strong and abiding interest in a secure and prosperous Iraq able to defend the nation against violent extremist groups and able to deter those who would undermine Iraqi sovereignty and democracy. As the world watches events in Iraq unfold it is increasingly clear that the Government of Iraq and the […]
Press Statement by US Secretary of State, Michael R. Pompeo (pictured), on the situation in Iraq: The United States welcomes any serious efforts made by the Government of Iraq to address the ongoing problems in Iraqi society. The Government of Iraq should listen to the legitimate demands made by the Iraqi people who have taken […]
