Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Iraq + 1 more

ISHM: January 1 - 9, 2025

Attachments

Key Takeaways:

  • POLITICS: Sudani in Tehran to Discuss Syria, Energy, Regional Conflict, and the Future of Iran-Backed Militias – On January 8, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani arrived in Tehran for meetings with Iran’s leaders, including President Pezeshkian, Supreme Leader Khamenei, and Speaker Ghalibaf. The talks focused on bilateral cooperation and coordination concerning regional developments, especially in Syria, as well as Gaza and Lebanon. The Iraqi delegation, which included senior security, trade, oil, electricity, and foreign affairs officials, reviewed progress in implementing prior bilateral agreements covering areas like railway linkage for pilgrims, border security, gas and electricity imports, and joint industrial cities. Speaking at a joint press conference with Pezeshkian, Sudani called for inclusive regional dialogue to build trust and “ensure peace and security for everyone,” offering to host an international conference for this purpose in Baghdad. Sudani noted that the stability of Syria is key to the stability of the entire region, advocating for a comprehensive political solution that preserves Syria’s independence and sovereignty while limiting external interventions. In remarks posted on X after meeting with Sudani, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei accused the U.S. of seeking to expand what he called its “illegal” military presence in Iraq. Khamenei also emphasized the need to increase efforts to “preserve and strengthen” the Popular Mobilization Forces, which he described as “a crucial component of power in Iraq.” Sudani’s visit to Tehran was preceded by a visit to Baghdad by Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani on January 5. According to news reports citing unnamed Iraqi sources, the Iranian general relayed to Sudani that Tehran was trying to protect itself and Iraq from further conflict with the U.S. and Israel. Qaani is said to have discussed with Sudani and other Iraqi leaders the possibility of restructuring some of the militias or limiting their armaments to avoid conflict in light of recent developments, including the regime change in Syria. In other developments, on January 7, a number of Sunni Arab political leaders announced the formation of a new political body called the “Coalition of United Sunni Leadership.” On January 8, Iraq’s Supreme Judicial Council approved a request by the Electoral Commission’s board of commissioners to extend the board’s mandate for two years, ending on January 6, 2027. more…
  • SECURITY: Hundreds of Sinjaris Join Local Police Force; Turkey Extends Sulaymaniyah Airport Ban; Iraq Reinforces Borders with Syria – On January 2, an Iraqi official said that nearly 1,400 residents of the Sinjar district have been recruited into the local police force as part of efforts to implement a 2020 agreement to normalize conditions in the contested district. The official, an adviser to Prime Minister Sudani for Yazidi affairs, said that more locals are being recruited into the force, without offering details about the timeline for the process. On January 6, officials at Sulaymaniyah’s international airport announced that Turkish authorities had extended a ban on flights to and from the airport for an additional six months. The flight ban was first imposed in April 2023, when Turkish authorities expressed concerns about security threats to civilian aviation arising from an alleged infiltration of airport security by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). On January 7, a senior Iraqi military spokesman said the country has completed 400 kilometers of a planned 615-kilometer concrete wall along the border with Syria. The remaining 215 kilometers are to be completed by mid-year, and Iraq plans to deploy additional security forces to the border, according to the official. In other developments, on January 2, the UNHCR said that Syrian refugees and other Syrian nationals were returning from the Kurdistan Region of Iraq to Syria through the Faysh Khabur border crossing at a rate of 300–400 per day. On January 6, CENTCOM reported that one member of the Global Coalition’s forces in Iraq was killed during joint Iraqi-Coalition operations against ISIS militants in the Himrin Mountains. Two other Coalition personnel were wounded during the operations, which took place between December 30 and January 6. more…
  • ECONOMY & CLIMATE: Iraq Announces New Customs, Banking Reforms; Funding Approved for Major Oil Pipeline Project – On January 1, Iraq’s General Customs Commission announced that it had transitioned from paper-based operations to the ASYCUDA computerized system as part of government reforms aimed at modernizing customs operations and increasing efficiency. On the same day, the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) announced the decommissioning of the electronic platform through which Iraqi banks used to purchase U.S. dollars to fund foreign transactions. The platform will be replaced by a system relying on accounts established at correspondent banks outside Iraq. The new system, which the CBI says creates a stable and secure financial framework in line with international standards, utilizes several foreign currencies in addition to the U.S. dollar, including the euro and yuan. On January 2, the Iraqi government approved an agreement between the Basra Oil Company and the Oil Projects Company for constructing a crude oil transportation pipeline between Basra and Haditha. The $4.5 billion project includes extending 685 kilometers of 56-inch pipeline with a capacity to transport up to 2.25 million barrels per day (bpd). The Basra-Haditha pipeline represents a crucial component of the planned Basra-Aqaba oil export pipeline, a long-delayed project that aims to diversify Iraq’s oil export routes by providing direct access to the Red Sea via Jordan. In other developments, on January 2, Iraq launched a project to build a new petroleum refining unit at the Salah ad-Din refinery complex in Baiji, with a capacity to process 70,000 bpd of crude oil into refined products. 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.