Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Sunday Afternoon 3-15-26
EU Envoys Urge Keeping Iraq Out Of Regional Conflict
2026-03-15 Shafaq News- Baghdad Ambassadors of European Union member states accredited to Iraq on Sunday expressed hope that the country would not be drawn into the escalating regional conflict, amid rising tensions linked to the confrontation between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other.
The diplomats made the remarks during a meeting with Iraq’s National Security Adviser Qasim al-Araji, where they also condemned recent attacks targeting the Kurdistan Region and critical sites across the country.
According to a statement, the envoys emphasized that the EU is not a party to the ongoing war in the Middle East, while discussing measures taken by the Iraqi government to secure diplomatic missions following recent strikes in Baghdad and Erbil.
The meeting also reviewed steps ordered by caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to pursue those responsible for attacks on international facilities and ensure legal accountability. (The IRI -> PMF factions)
Participants reaffirmed Iraq’s commitment to maintaining a neutral course focused on stability and development, a strategy Baghdad has pursued in recent years with the support of international partners to safeguard sovereignty and avoid becoming entangled in regional rivalries. https://www.shafaq.com/en/Iraq/EU-envoys-urge-keeping-Iraq-out-of-regional-conflict
CF Condemns Attacks On PMF Sites, Diplomatic Missions In Iraq
2026-03-15 Shafaq News- Baghdad Iraq’s Coordination Framework (CF), the biggest parliamentary bloc, condemned on Saturday attacks targeting the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) [most of which are pro-Iran proxies] and other security forces, describing them as violations of Iraq’s sovereignty and threats to the country’s security and stability.
In a statement, the alliance said the attacks resulted in deaths and injuries among personnel “who were performing their duty within the official military formations tasked with maintaining security and stability.”
The remarks came following an emergency meeting at the Government Palace to discuss recent security developments, hosted by the head of the PMF and the organization’s chief of staff, and attended by Caretaking Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani.
The participants also reiterated their rejection of attacks targeting vital state facilities and diplomatic missions, stressing the importance of maintaining security measures to protect diplomatic missions and their premises, and called for pursuing those responsible for attacks that endanger their security.
The meeting also followed the killing of three PMF members [were they those pro-Iran factions that have been attacking US interests?] in a strike that targeted a headquarters in Baghdad, hours before a rocket attack struck the U.S. Embassy in the capital.
Earlier, American facilities and interests in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region, including a diplomatic site near Baghdad International Airport and a military base near Erbil International Airport, have been targeted by drone and rocket attacks claimed by Iran-aligned Iraqi armed PMF groups. (IRI)
The escalation comes amid an ongoing confrontation between the United States, Israel, and Iran since February 28, a conflict that has led factions affiliated with the so-called Islamic Resistance in Iraq to intensify their attacks.
https://www.shafaq.com/en/Iraq/CF-condemns-attacks-on-PMF-sites-diplomatic-missions-in-Iraq
Al-Araji: Those Who Disrupted The Economy Are Trading In The Blood Of Iraqis To Target Al-Sudani
latest news Saturday, March 14, 2026 Baghdad – One News 3/14/2026
Bahaa al-Araji, head of the Reconstruction and Development Coalition bloc, said that those who disrupted the “arteries of the economy” and prevented the diversification of oil export routes are now returning to trade in the “blood of Iraqis” to target Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, stressing that it would have been more appropriate to support him instead of criticizing him for their own interests, and calling on the Iraqi people to pay attention to this conspiracy. Sounds like something Maliki would do to discredit Sudani and try to win - have the PMF do his bidding.
Al-Araji added that some politicians are working day and night to obstruct the formation of the government, holding the coordination framework responsible for these delays, noting that Iran formed the government a week after the martyrdom of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Al-Araji stressed that it is Sudani's responsibility to keep Iraq out of the ongoing war and prevent it from becoming a party to it, emphasizing that the accusations leveled against him regarding the failure to protect Iraqi airspace are inaccurate, especially since this is a technological and missile war whose dimensions Iraq cannot bear. https://1news-iq.net/الأعرجي-من-عطلوا-الاقتصاد-يتاجرون-بدم/
Political stalemate with no time limit
Sarout: Internal conflicts are freezing the formation of the next government, and no agreement is in sight.
Baghdad Today - Baghdad
: In Baghdad, the city that used to manage its crises on the brink of collapse, the political scene today is back at the same point: an open-ended wait with no time limit, and a postponed government tossed about by disputes before it is even born. Behind closed doors, intermittent negotiations, tense communications, and repeated attempts to restore lost trust between political forces are taking place, while leaks about the names of candidates and possible understandings continue to circulate, only to evaporate with the first new dispute.
While the region is ablaze with cross-border conflicts and escalating regional tensions, the Iraqi scene seems to be moving at a different pace, governed less by the results of the war than by deep internal disputes that extend from the Coordination Framework to the Kurdish forces, hindering the identification of both the Prime Minister and the President of the Republic.
With no real signs of resolution, fears are growing that the political waiting will become a permanent state, making the formation of the next government a task postponed indefinitely.
Abbas Sarout, a former member of the Parliamentary Security and Defense Committee, confirmed today, Friday (March 13, 2026), that there is no specific timeframe for forming the next government, indicating that the disputes between the Coordination Framework and the Kurdish forces remain unresolved. He stressed that the delay in forming the government is related to internal problems and not to the results of the ongoing war in the region.
Sarwat told Baghdad Today that "the formation of the government is suffering from clear complications within the political forces, especially in the file of determining the identity of the candidate for the next prime minister, and these disagreements need a unified position to resolve the controversy, in addition to disagreements within the Kurdish forces regarding the nomination of the consensus candidate for the presidency of the republic."
He explained that “proceeding with the formation of the government is primarily linked to resolving the issue of the presidency, and that linking its formation to the results of the war in the region is mere speculation, while internal disputes between the main forces are the most prominent reason for the delay in the birth of the next government,” stressing that “any talk about the birth of the government after the Eid al-Fitr holiday is mere speculation, and there are no real indications to support that.”
Despite speculation linking the formation of the government to the outcome of the regional conflict, political sources indicate that the dilemma is primarily internal, as the issue of choosing a consensus candidate for the presidency and the prime ministership remains the main obstacle to proceeding with any new political roadmap. This stalemate threatens to prolong the period of vacuum, which may open the door to further complications in the Iraqi scene.https://baghdadtoday.news/295102-.html
Caretaker PM Al-Sudani: War decisions belong to the state
2026-03-14 Shafaq News- Baghdad Iraqi caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani warned Saturday that war decisions are the sole responsibility of the state, criticizing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for pulling the region into a conflict with wide-reaching consequences.
Addressing a group of religious leaders, Al-Sudani pointed to the worsening security situation across the region, stressing that Iraq’s institutions are responsible for protecting the country and its people. He also cautioned that attacks on diplomatic missions and Global Coalition facilities could put Iraq at serious risk, vowing that those involved in such acts would face legal consequences. But he or the government have done nothing to curb the actions of the pro-Iran PMF factions in Iraq - they're endangering Iraq and making war decisions.
“The government is committed to safeguard members of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), and no personnel would be left exposed to threats,” he added, noting that Iraqi security forces have successfully prevented several operations targeting economic sites and diplomatic missions. Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office
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Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani Shares Ramadan Iftar Dinner with a Group of Religious Leaders….
Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani received today, Saturday, a number of religious leaders and shared with them the Ramadan Iftar dinner joined by Head of the Iraqi Sunni Affairs and the Deputy Head of the Shiite Endowment Diwan.
Prime Minister Al-Sudani commended the principled positions of religious leaders, who play an important role in countering destructive ideas and safeguarding society and the state, as well as in supporting the state and its institutions. He noted that Iraq is currently facing major challenges, which the government is working to overcome in coordination with all concerned parties.
Prime Minister Al-Sudani affirmed that the war has expanded and that all parties are now facing an imminent danger, stressing that it threatens infrastructure projects across the region and risks disrupting energy supplies and supply chains.
The following are the key points from the Prime Minister’s remarks:
The security situation in the region continues to deteriorate due to the ongoing military operations.
The state, through its institutions, is the authority concerned with the decision of war.
The attack on diplomatic missions and coalition headquarters exposes Iraq to serious consequences. The state, through its constitutional institutions, will continue pursuing those involved in this condemned and rejected act.
We renew our condemnation of the targeting of members of our security forces within the Popular Mobilization Forces. We will not accept our service members being exposed to such threats and we will do everything within our power to protect them.
Under the law, it is the duty of the state to monopolize all means of force. Our forces have foiled many operations that sought to target economic sites or diplomatic missions.
Our efforts continue with all regional and international parties to stop this destructive war. We are also communicating with our brothers, particularly as Iraq holds the presidency of the Arab Summit.
The Zionist aggression against Lebanon and the displacement of 900,000 Lebanese have added a further factor of escalation to the region.
We need a discourse that supports societal peace, rejects violence and extremism, and strengthens national unity.
We place our hope in religious scholars to contribute to preventing discord that could have devastating consequences.
The criminal Netanyahu has dragged the region into this war in an unprecedented manner and does not hesitate to use prohibited weapons, shedding the blood of Muslims and innocent people.
We overcame terrorism and threats and moved forward with rebuilding the country. There is nothing impossible on the path of development, and our plans extend even further in the field of reconstruction.
Media Office of the Prime Minister March 14, 2026
Al-Sudani concluded with a warning that the conflict threatens infrastructure, energy supplies, and supply chains, urging religious figures and scholars to help prevent sectarian and social strife that could affect the wider region.
Since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran on Feb. 28, Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have experienced a series of drone and rocket attacks attributed to Iran-aligned armed factions amid the broader regional escalation.
https://www.shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Caretaker-PM-Al-Sudani-War-decisions-belong-to-the-state
The Iraqi Naval Force Raises Its Readiness To Protect Territorial Waters And Ports
latest news Saturday, March 14, 2026 Basra – One News 3/14/2026 On Saturday, the commander of the Iraqi naval force, Mazen Kabyan, ordered an increase in combat readiness to protect Iraqi territorial waters and oil and commercial ports, days after oil tankers were targeted near the port of Basra in the far south of the country.
This came during an inspection visit conducted by Kbayan that included the Grand Faw Port and the port protection force, to review the readiness of the naval units.
According to a statement from the Iraqi Army Chief of Staff, the commander of the naval force issued directives and recommendations related to raising the level of combat readiness to protect and secure territorial waters and oil and commercial ports, which are the lifeblood of the Iraqi economy.
Kabyan also stressed the importance of attending to the fighters' livelihoods and administrative matters, emphasizing the national mission performed by the naval force in protecting and securing Iraqi territorial waters. https://1news-iq.net/القوة-البحرية-العراقية-ترفع-جاهزيتها/
Islamic Resistance In Iraq: 27 Attacks On US-Linked Bases In 24 Hours
2026-03-14 Shafaq News- Baghdad The Islamic Resistance in Iraq, an umbrella network of Iran-backed Shiite armed factions, carried out 27 attacks on US military facilities in Iraq and across the region over the past 24 hours. Here's the reason Iraq is having the above issues and crises. This is only 1 day.
In a statement on Saturday, the group said the operations involved dozens of drones and missiles targeting what it described as “enemy bases,” without specifying the exact locations or facilities targeted.
Since February 28, when the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran, factions operating under the Islamic Resistance in Iraq say they have conducted more than 200 attacks on US military facilities across Iraq.
Read more: Drone incidents reported across 14 Iraqi provinces in latest escalation
Drone Strike Halts Operations At Lanaz Refinery
2026-03-14 Shafaq News- Erbil A drone strike forced the shutdown of the Lanaz oil refinery after it caught fire, a security source told Shafaq News on Saturday. Attack by the pro Iran PMF factions.
The attack came hours after the UAE consulate in Erbil, capital of Kurdistan Region was also hit, leaving two guards injured and causing damage to the building. PMF again.
Since the US-Israeli war against Iran began on February 28, Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have seen a series of drone and rocket attacks linked to Iran-aligned armed factions. Earlier today, an attack on the US Embassy in Baghdad damaged a satellite communications system inside the diplomatic compound. No casualties have been reported.
https://www.shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/Drone-strike-halts-operations-at-Lanaz-refinery
Tehran Denies Involvement In Erbil, Kuwait Strikes
2026-03-14 Shafaq News- Tehran Iran on Saturday rejected any role in recent drone attacks on the Lanaz oil refinery in Erbil and a radar installation in Kuwait, accusing the United States and Israel of carrying out the operations. (LOL - nice try ... it was your PMF proxies)
A military source speaking to Tasnim News Agency described the attacks as a “false flag,” unconnected to Iran or resistance factions, noting that Washington and Tel Aviv target civilian and economic infrastructure that falls outside Iran’s strategic objectives.
Earlier today, a drone strike hit the Lanaz oil refinery, triggering a fire that later forced the facility to shut down.
https://www.shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Tehran-denies-involvement-in-Erbil-Kuwait-strikes