iraq – Naqd English

Iraq begins battle to disarm Iran backed militias

Naqd English — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 15:03:00 +0000

Iraq is moving to bring armed factions under full state control, setting September 30 as the deadline for weapons to come under government authority.

Some groups have begun handing over weapons and headquarters, while Iran-backed factions such as Kataib Hezbollah and Harakat al-Nujaba continue to resist.

The shift closely echoes Lebanon, where Hezbollah faces growing pressure over its weapons. Across the region, states are increasingly pushing toward one principle: one state, one army, one authority over weapons

Lebanon becomes a center for storing and exporting Iraqi oil

Naqd English — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 09:45:00 +0000

Iraq has chosen a new route for its oil exports through Syria, with Lebanon set to serve as a storage and maritime re-export hub.

Oil tankers will enter Lebanon and head to Tripoli’s oil facilities, where shipments will be unloaded, stored, and later transferred to vessels for export to global markets.

The route could generate new revenue for Lebanon through transit fees, road use, storage, logistics, port services, and shipping operations. Tripoli already has 23 fuel and gas oil tanks, allowing the country to build on existing infrastructure.

The government is now preparing border crossings, roads, storage facilities, and safety procedures. The volume of oil reaching Lebanon and the expected revenues will depend on the final operating agreements.

Iraq’s financial corruption files continue to unravel

Naqd English — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 14:45:00 +0000

In the latest developments in the corruption case involving former Deputy Oil Minister for Refining Affairs Adnan Al-Jumaili, Iraqi authorities seized 27 billion Iraqi dinars hidden inside a Baghdad apartment.

The money was discovered after investigators traced funds suspected of coming from embezzlement and misuse of public money. Authorities believe the cash is part of a wider network that used several people and locations to conceal assets linked to the case.

Previous seizures included 25 billion Iraqi dinars, more than US$1 million in cash, gold, as well as real estate, vehicles, and factories suspected of being purchased with corruption proceeds.

Investigations are ongoing to recover the remaining funds and assets in one of Iraq’s largest recent financial corruption cases.

3.5 million visitors to Syria in the first six months of 2026

Naqd English — Sun, 26 Jul 2026 15:07:00 +0000

After 14 years of war and security turmoil that devastated Syria and crippled many of its sectors—particularly tourism, which had nearly collapsed—the Syrian Ministry of Tourism has released figures offering renewed hope to Syrians and showing the world how a country can begin to recover once freed from a criminal dictatorship and Iranian influence.

According to the ministry, Syria welcomed 3.52 million visitors during the first half of 2026, compared with 1.67 million during the same period in 2025—an annual increase of 111%.

Official figures show that the number of foreign tourists rose from 131,000 to 719,000, an increase of 448%, while the number of Arab visitors climbed from 320,000 to 664,000, marking growth of 107%.

Visits by Syrians living abroad also increased significantly, reaching 2.13 million compared with 1.22 million in the first half of last year—a rise of 75%. This group accounted for the largest share of total arrivals.

The data also showed that Turkey topped the list of countries sending foreign tourists to Syria, followed by Germany, Sweden, the United States, the Netherlands, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Among Arab countries, Jordan ranked first, followed by Lebanon and Iraq.

Iran has controlled its militias in the region: After Iraq, will the front in Lebanon calm down?

naqdmed — Mon, 19 Feb 2024 10:38:00 +0000

After the region witnessed an unprecedented escalation, verging on the brink of an all-out war, a field development occurred yesterday that could alleviate the intensification since the outbreak of the Gaza war on October 7th last year. Multiple Iranian and Iraqi sources informed Reuters yesterday that a visit by the commander of the Iranian Quds Force, Ismail Qaani, to Baghdad led to the cessation of attacks by groups allied with Iran in Iraq on U.S. forces, signaling Tehran’s desire to prevent a broader conflict.
Qaani met with representatives of some armed groups at Baghdad airport on January 29th, less than 48 hours after Washington blamed these groups for the killing of three American soldiers at Jordan’s Tower 22 site.

Since February 4th, there have been no attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, compared to more than 20 attacks in the two weeks preceding Qaani’s visit, amid escalating violence by groups opposed to the Israeli war in Gaza.
Observers believe that this move by a prominent figure in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard cannot be divorced from its repercussions on Lebanon. It is known that the Iranian Quds Force includes all external organizations allied with the Islamic Republic, foremost among them Hezbollah.

The question after this development in Iraq is whether its effects could extend to Lebanon. In response, observers recalled the recent visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian to Beirut on February 9th and 10th. The purpose of the visit was reportedly to convey an Iranian message to Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah that “matters between Tehran and Washington are going well, and we agree with the U.S. administration not to escalate the war or turn it into a regional one,” according to Al-Nidaa newspaper.