Key Takeaways:
- POLITICS: Shia Parties Raise Strong Objections After Sudani Meets Sharaa, Invites Him to Visit Baghdad – On April 17, Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani made an unannounced visit to Qatar, where he met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa for the first time and held trilateral talks that also involved the Emir of Qatar. Sudani and Sharaa discussed border security, Syria’s political transition and inclusion of minority communities, and the reactivation of commercial ties. The meeting came a day after Sudani invited Sharaa to attend the next Arab League summit in Baghdad next month, which was met with strong objections from Shia parties, who cited Sharaa’s background as a former al-Qaeda militant who operated in Iraq. Asaib Ahl al-Haq leader Qais al-Khazali said such a visit was “premature” and warned that Sharaa could be arrested by Iraqi security, arguing that a warrant exists for his arrest. The Dawa Party of Nouri al-Maliki also objected to the visit, stating that those who have “committed documented crimes against [Iraqis] should not be welcomed in Baghdad.” More than fifty lawmakers have reportedly put forward a motion to ban the Syrian leader from entering the country. Other Shia lawmakers suggested the government should either reschedule the summit or have it moved to another country in order to avoid having Sharaa in Baghdad. In other developments, on April 21, former Kirkuk governor Rakan al-Jubouri was arrested on charges of corruption and abuse of power. He was released on bond the following day. On April 21, the leaders of the Coordination Framework said they will enter the November parliamentary election with separate electoral lists, with the goal of reconstituting the coalition afterward. On April 23, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot visited Baghdad, Sulaymaniyah, and Erbil to discuss security cooperation, arms sales, the situation in Syria, and Kurdistan oil exports. On April 24, Iraq’s Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said that he was traveling to Washington to hold a series of meetings to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments with U.S. officials. more…
- SECURITY & HUMANITARIAN: Five PMF Fighters Injured in Unidentified Drone Crash, Explosion – On April 23, fighters from the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF 54th Brigade) shot down an unidentified drone in the desert of al-Rahhaliyah, southwest of Amiriyat al-Fallujah in Anbar province. Five PMF fighters were reportedly injured when the downed drone exploded after it caught on fire, suggesting it was probably carrying an explosive payload. But images from the scene also show PMF fighters posing next to a nearly intact aircraft, indicating that the drone did not catch on fire during or soon after the crash. No entity has claimed responsibility for the drone, which appears to resemble the Iranian-made Sayad type of drones. In other developments, on April 18–19, two remnants of war exploded in Ninewa and Maysan provinces, killing a child and wounding eight people, most of whom were children. On April 23, Iraq and Spain signed an agreement for cooperation on security and fighting organized crime during a visit by Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska. The agreement focuses on cooperation in fighting drugs and human trafficking, as well as sharing information, technology, and best practices. more…
- ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Major Gas Field Development Changes Hands Again – On April 19, the Iraqi government approved a fast-track plan to develop the Akkaz gas field in Anbar province through the state-owned Midland Oil Company and American oil services company Schlumberger. The first phase of the development plan aims to produce 100 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (MMcf/d) within a year. The announcement appears to indicate that Iraq has moved to abandon a prior deal to develop Akkaz that was signed in April 2024 with Ukrainian energy company Ukrzemresurs. The development also comes weeks after reports that the government was unhappy with the limited progress made by Ukrzemresurs and threatened to cancel the contract. The field, whose development was once awarded to Korea’s Kogas prior to the war with ISIS, has seen limited development relying on domestic efforts and had commenced small-scale production in March 2023 at a rate of 60 MMcf/d. Iraq ultimately seeks to produce 400 MMcf/d from Akkaz, which holds one of Iraq’s most significant reserves of non-associated gas. In other developments, on April 21, Iraq launched a project to build a new 921-megawatt combined-cycle power plant in Dhi-Qar province. The gas-fired power plant will be built by Siemens. On April 21, Iraq’s Health Ministry said it launched the third phase of enrollment in the state-subsidized health insurance system. The phase will provide coverage for 450,000 customers in Baghdad. On April 22, the KRG Finance Ministry said it deposited IQD 48.2 billion (approximately $37 million) in the Central Bank account of the federal Finance Ministry as remittance for non-petroleum revenue generated in March 2025. 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.