An Alliance with Tehran and the Qushtapa Tragedy: A Historical Account of the Kurdistan Democratic Party’s Military Activities

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Desk – The documentary book *Atlas of the Ramadan Headquarters During the Sacred Defense Era* sheds light on lesser-known historical details regarding the structure, foreign collaborations, and military strategies of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) between 1946 and the end of the Iran-Iraq War in 1988. The documents within this atlas reveal how regional political developments altered the party's trajectory and its military calculations.

Mohsen Ghadermarzi, PhD in Geopolitics and Fellow at the Institute for International Energy Studies:

Kurdistan Region in the New Energy Order of the Middle East; From Crisis to Opportunity

The rapid geopolitical shifts in the Middle East—from the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria and escalating military tensions with Iran to the unprecedented disruption in the Strait of Hormuz—have fundamentally transformed the region's energy equations. In this new order, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq has emerged as a strategic focal point, playing a role far beyond that of an autonomous enclave in northern Iraq.

The Kurds; The Connecting Link in the New U.S. Strategy for Iraq, Syria, and Turkey

Analyses indicate that Washington is shaping a new order in West Asia anchored in energy, trade, and regional connectivity corridors. Within this framework, the Kurds act not as a single, monolithic player, but rather as connecting links between Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.

Nouri al-Maliki:

Corruption in Al-Sudani’s Government Had Turned into "Plunder"

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Desk – Nouri al-Maliki, leader of the State of Law Coalition, criticized the performance of Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s government regarding the fight against corruption. He stated that corruption within the administration had become so pervasive that it could no longer be termed merely "corruption"; rather, it had evolved into the "plunder" of public assets.

Bakhtiar Sadjadi, University Professor and Socio-cultural Commentator :

Another Golden Chapter in Kurdish Diplomacy; Italy Glorifies President Nechirvan Barzani with Its Highest Honour

There are ceremonies that mark an occasion, and there are ceremonies that mark a historic moment; what happened in Erbil on 8 July was unmistakably the latter. Italy conferred its highest state distinction, the Grand Cross Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy, on Nechirvan Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Region, an honour presented by Ambassador Niccolò Fontana on behalf of the President of Italy, Sergio Mattarella. It capped, in a single gesture, more than two decades of quietly accumulating ties between Erbil and Rome. The awarding of this highly precious medal landed at a moment when Kurdistan's political institutions could use precisely this kind of reassurance from international scenes.

Hoshyar Zebari:

All Kurdistan Region parties have concluded that Baghdad is our strategic depth

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Desk – Hoshyar Zebari, a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) Politburo, announced that he has been tasked by his party with overseeing all its political and governmental affairs in Baghdad. He emphasized that all parties in the Kurdistan Region have reached the conclusion that Baghdad constitutes the Region's "strategic depth."

$3 Million and 700 Million Dinars Discovered at the Home of Another Iraqi Official

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Desk – Iraqi media reported that security forces, continuing operations to pursue corruption suspects and recover state assets, discovered and seized $3 million and 700 million Iraqi dinars during a search of the home of an official from the Baiji refinery.

Another 25 Billion Dinars Discovered in Iraqi Deputy Oil Minister's Corruption Case

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Desk – The Iraqi judiciary has announced that the total cash seized so far in the corruption case involving Adnan al-Jumaili, the Deputy Oil Minister, amounts to 127 billion Iraqi dinars and 24 million US dollars.

Kurdistan Region Reaffirms Commitment to Iraq-Iran Security Agreement

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Desk – A security delegation from the Kurdistan Region, led by Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed, met in Baghdad with Qasim Aboudi, Iraq’s new National Security Advisor. They discussed the implementation mechanism for the security agreement between Iraq and Iran—an agreement under which Iranian Kurdish opposition parties were relocated from their camps within the Region.

Iraq’s Anti-Corruption Body:

59 Corruption Suspects Arrested in One Month

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Service – Iraq’s federal anti-corruption agency released its performance report for June, announcing that 59 corruption suspects were arrested and documents related to dozens of cases were seized during 157 inspection and investigative operations across various provinces.

Ali Zaidi:

We Are Deeply Grateful to the KDP and the PUK

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Service – Ali Zaidi expressed appreciation for the support shown by Iraqi political parties and institutions—including the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK)—for the government's anti-corruption agenda. He emphasized that combating corruption is a national responsibility and affirmed that, despite pressures and challenges, the government will resolutely continue the reform process, the prosecution of corrupt individuals, and the recovery of state assets.

Iraq and Turkey Agree to Continue Kurdistan Region Oil Exports via Ceyhan Pipeline

Turkey Service – Iraq and Turkey have reached an agreement to sign an interim protocol for the continued export of oil from Iraq and the Kurdistan Region via the Ceyhan oil pipeline; this agreement will remain in effect until a new long-term contract between the two countries is finalized.

Al-Sharq al-Awsat: The deadlock in the formation of the regional government has strengthened the possibility of the return of two administrations

Service of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region - "Al-Sharq Al-Awsat" newspaper, in a report referring to the continuation of the deadlock in the formation of the new government of the Kurdistan Region, warned that the continuation of the differences between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union has increased the risk of returning to the "two administration" system.

Pezeshkian:

Kurdistan Region’s Prudence Thwarted Plots Along Our Western Borders

Iran Desk – The President expressed appreciation for the Kurdistan Region’s sympathetic and responsible stance regarding recent developments and emphasized the expansion of scientific, cultural, and economic cooperation.

New details of the anti-corruption operation in Iraq

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Service - Iraqi security and political sources have published new details of the extensive anti-corruption operation known as "Sulah Al-Fajr"; According to these sources, the operation was carried out after several days of planning and following the strictest security measures.

Ali Zaidi:

No corrupt person is immune

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Service - Ali Zaidi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, announced that the extensive anti-corruption operation that the government has started is only the first stage, and no person or movement will be immune from prosecution and supervision. At the same time, he announced the approval of a 35% tax on the income of foreign oil companies and the government's plan to strengthen the electricity sector.

The number of people arrested for corruption in Iraq reached about 50 people

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Service - In continuation of the extensive operation against corruption in Iraq, local and media sources report the arrest of around 50 people, including members of parliament, officials and capitalists; At the same time, the director of electricity distribution of Diwaniye province and his deputy were also arrested.

Mohammad Hakim:

Sooner or later, the corruption case in the Kurdistan region will be dealt with

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Service - Mohammad Hakim, the spokesman of the Kurdistan Justice Group, referring to the recent arrests in Iraq, said that sooner or later the corrupt in the Kurdistan Region must also be punished.

Iraq and Syria agree on reviving the tripartite water committee with Türkiye and strengthening cooperation in water resources management

Syrian Service - During the joint technical meeting in Baghdad, representatives of Syria and Iraq agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in water resources management, strengthen technical coordination and information exchange related to the Euphrates River, and emphasized the need to reactivate the tripartite committee with Turkey to deal with common water challenges.

Baghdad’s Anti-Corruption Drive and the Promise of $400 Billion in U.S. Support

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Desk – A report claims that Tom Barrack, the U.S. presidential envoy for Iraq affairs, emphasized during a meeting with the Baghdad government that success in combating corruption and curbing the waste of financial resources would be a prerequisite for expanding U.S. economic support and launching a long-term partnership with Iraq.

The new wave of arrests in Baghdad; The scope of the fight against corruption reached politicians close to power

Service of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region - In continuation of the anti-corruption campaign that the Iraqi government has started, a number of members of parliament, government officials and political figures were arrested in the green zone of Baghdad on Sunday morning. An action that is referred to as one of the most extensive anti-corruption operations in recent years. At the same time, some unofficial reports also inform about the possibility of expanding the scope of this case to the Kurdistan Region and placing the names of a number of Kurdish officials and political figures in the investigation list; However, so far no official authority has confirmed these reports.

The arrest of the manager of Iraqi Airlines on charges of theft of 115 billion dinars

Service of Iraq and Kurdistan Region - Following the follow-up of corruption cases in Iraq, the director of Iraqi Airlines was arrested on charges of theft of more than 115 billion dinars, and at the same time, the former governor of Salah al-Din was also arrested after the confession of the former deputy of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil in another case.

Baghdad rejected Iraq's threat to leave OPEC

Iraq Service and Kurdistan Region - The Ministry of Oil of Iraq announced that the content raised about Iraq's threat to withdraw from OPEC does not represent the official position of the Iraqi government.

Erdogan:

Iran and the Region Stepped Back from the Brink

Turkey Desk – In a speech addressing the recent crisis involving Iran, Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Turkey has kept the country away from a "ring of fire" through a policy grounded in common sense and restraint, while standing firm against Israel's attempts to ignite new crises in the region.

The scope of the corruption case of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil became wider; The arrest of former governor Salahuddin

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Service - Iraqi media reported the arrest of Raed Jabouri, director general of Salah al-Din Health and former governor of this province, by Iraqi security forces; According to reports, the arrest was made in the continuation of the investigation of the corruption case of Adnan Jamili, the deputy of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil.

Baghdad and Ankara emphasize on the resumption of oil exports

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Service - In the phone call between the Prime Minister of Iraq and the President of Turkey, while reviewing the latest status of bilateral cooperation, the two sides emphasized the necessity of resuming the export of Iraqi oil through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, developing the mechanisms for Iraqi oil access to global markets, and speeding up the implementation of the "Development Road" strategic project as the new axis of economic and transit cooperation in the region.

Iraqi Customs:

The start of Esikoda system in August / Customs revenues have increased by 200%

Service of Iraq and Kurdistan Region - The Director General of Iraqi Customs announced that the operational implementation of the "Asikoda" system will begin at the beginning of August. According to him, Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region have technically reached an agreement, and Iraq's customs revenues have grown by 200% so far. The Iraqi government plans to increase the annual customs revenue to 3 to 4 trillion dinars in the first stage.

Erbil and Baghdad reached an agreement on "Esekuda"; Kurdish language is added to the customs system

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Service - The Kurdistan Region Board and the Iraqi government reached an agreement on 16 clauses related to the "Esicuda" system; An agreement based on which the Kurdish language will be added to the system and part of the customs mechanisms between the two sides will be integrated.

Iraqi parliamentarian:

Kurdistan region's oil production will reach 200,000 barrels per day in the first step

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Service - A member of the Security and Defense Commission of the Iraqi Parliament announced that oil companies operating in the Kurdistan Region will resume production from next week, and in the first phase, 200,000 barrels of oil will be produced daily.

Zaidi completes the Iraqi cabinet before traveling to Washington

Iraq and Kurdistan Region Service - Fadi Shamri, advisor to the Iraqi Prime Minister, announced that the Iraqi government intends to appoint the Minister of Interior and finalize the composition of the cabinet before Zaidi's trip to Washington.