Key Takeaways:
- POLITICS: Iraq Scrambles to Respond to U.S. Tariffs; Teachers on Strike, Stage Protests in Several Provinces; Militias Deny News About Being Ready to Disarm – On April 5, Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani convened a meeting with his trade and economic advisers to discuss the implications of new U.S. tariffs on the global economy, oil prices, and the Iraqi economy. After reviewing Trade Ministry data, officials determined that the new 39% tariffs on Iraqi goods were based on the trade imbalance (a $5.8 billion deficit for the U.S.) between the two countries, and that the majority of Iraq’s imports of American goods come through third-party countries. In light of these findings, Sudani instructed government agencies to take several measures aimed at developing direct trade channels between the two countries, improving links between U.S. and Iraqi banks, and engaging the U.S. government to review trade relations and build a balanced partnership. On April 6, teachers in several Iraqi provinces went on strike, demanding improvements in pay and working conditions. Many schools were empty as students were told to return home. Striking teachers staged demonstrations in Basra, Baghdad, Wasit, Diwaniyah, Babylon, Maysan, Muthanna, Dhi-Qar, Najaf, Karbala, and Diyala. In some provinces, civil servants from other departments joined the teachers in their protests. Security forces used tear gas to disperse protesters and made arrests as the strike and demonstrations continued into the week. In Dhi-Qar, several teachers were injured after security forces beat them with batons, according to social media posts and eyewitness reports corroborated by provincial government officials, who acknowledged “friction” between security forces and protesters. Following recommendations from the parliamentary education committee, the Iraqi government presented several concessions to the striking teachers, including additional stipends, low-interest loans, and a plan to allocate residential land plots. On Thursday, as protests continued for a fifth day, parliament held a special meeting to discuss the teachers’ demands. On April 7, a Reuters report said that four powerful Iran-backed Iraqi militias are willing to lay down their weapons to avoid escalation with the Trump administration. Based on conversations with senior Iraqi officials and several commanders from the groups, the report said the willingness to disarm is an attempt to ease tensions after Washington sent informal threats of punitive military action unless steps were taken to disband the Iran-aligned groups. The four groups reportedly willing to disarm are Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, and Ansar Allah al-Awfiya. However, Kataib Hezbollah later dismissed the report as baseless, saying the views attributed to the group did not represent its position. In other developments, on April 9, the Iraqi government announced that the country’s next parliamentary election will be held on November 11, 2025. more…
- SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Preparations Underway for PMF Academy Despite Lack of Legal Authority – On April 10, the head of the training directorate of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) said that preparations are underway to establish a military academy dedicated to PMF fighters. According to training chief Ammar Karim al-Sarrai, the directorate has created committees to develop curricula and training doctrines for the academy. He added that the academy will be headquartered in Karbala province to create “a national and ideological home” for future cadets. The announcement comes despite the fact that parliament has only begun to discuss a new bill to reorganize the 238,000-strong PMF. If approved, the bill would authorize the PMF to establish such an academy. In other developments, on April 7, an explosion caused by a war remnant killed a child and seriously injured another near Nasiriyah. On April 9, armed clashes between two tribes in Salah ad-Din province left three people dead and at least 12 others wounded. On April 10, Iraq’s Migration Minister announced that the government approved a plan to reduce barriers facing Yazidi women seeking higher education and to support their reintegration into society. The plan, which received Prime Minister Sudani’s approval, waives age limits for Yazidi women seeking to enroll in universities and reduces college entry grade requirements for them by up to 10%. more…
- ECONOMY & CLIMATE: U.S. Companies to Help Iraq Add 27 Gigawatts in Power Generation Capacity – On April 9, Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity signed two agreements with U.S. companies to add 27,000 megawatts in new power generation capacity and upgrade transmission and distribution systems. One agreement, with GE Vernova, involves building combined-cycle gas-fired power plants with a total capacity of 24,000 megawatts. The other, with UGT Renewables, covers a 3,000-megawatt integrated solar power project and battery systems capable of storing 500 megawatt-hours of electricity. The agreement also includes nearly 1,000 kilometers of new high-voltage transmission lines and upgrades to existing infrastructure. In other developments, on April 4, Iraq’s Oil Ministry invited the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and oil companies operating in the region to resume negotiations about restarting oil exports via Turkey, which have been halted since March 2023. The companies recently accused Baghdad of being “unwilling to negotiate a solution that honors [the companies’] contract sanctity” and of seeking to “unilaterally alter the economic framework” of their contracts. The Oil Ministry rejected the accusations as “false and misleading,” blaming the companies for derailing agreements by introducing new “unrealistic demands outside legal frameworks.” On April 6, the state-owned Oil Products Distribution Company announced it had completed a project to equip 28,000 tanker trucks with GPS tracking systems to combat fuel smuggling. more…
For more background on most of the institutions, key actors, political parties, and locations mentioned in our takeaways or in the stories that follow, see the ISHM Reference Guide.