Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Thursday Evening 3-12-26
EXCLUSIVE: Al-Maliki Ties PM Bid Withdrawal To Blocking Al-Sudani Renewal
2026-03-12 / 04:31 Shafaq News- Baghdad State of Law Coalition leader Nouri al-Maliki has set conditions for withdrawing his bid for prime minister, a source within the Shiite Coordination Framework (CF) revealed on Thursday, as Asaib Ahl al-Haq called for renewing the mandate of caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani.
The source told Shafaq News that al-Maliki relayed his position through a mediator tasked with easing the intra-Shiite dispute over the premiership within the CF, the largest parliamentary bloc.
According to the source, the former Iraqi prime minister Maliki conditioned withdrawing his nomination on not renewing al-Sudani’s mandate and not selecting former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, leader of the Al-Nasr (Victory) Coalition, as a compromise candidate. Instead, he proposed naming “a figure acceptable to all parties,” including himself.
The source added that the message had reached factions opposing al-Maliki’s candidacy and that discussions had begun among CF leaders through internal meetings and contacts. The alliance may reveal its position after the Eid al-Fitr holiday, due in about a week.
Meanwhile, Mohammed al-Baldaoui, a lawmaker from the Sadiqoon bloc representing Asaib Ahl al-Haq within the Coordination Framework, told Shafaq News that the alliance must move quickly to resolve the leadership dispute. “The CF leadership should have a clear vision to find solutions, starting with forming a government capable of leading the country during this phase,” he said, arguing that renewing confidence in al-Sudani would help spare the country new internal conflicts and possible sanctions.
Asaib Ahl al-Haq, he added, would ultimately support whatever decision the Framework leaders agree upon, noting that the alliance is expected to hold a meeting in the coming days to decide the government formation file.
The Coordination Framework formally nominated al-Maliki on January 24, opening negotiations to form a new government. The process stalled amid disputes over electing a president —an essential constitutional step that precedes tasking the largest parliamentary bloc’s candidate with forming a cabinet.
l-Maliki’s nomination has faced opposition from some Sunni parties and factions within the Shiite camp itself and drew criticism from Washington, where US President Donald Trump previously warned that the United States could halt assistance to Iraq if al-Maliki returned to the premiership.
Earlier this week, a source told our agency that most factions within the CF favored renewing al-Sudani’s mandate, but al-Maliki’s insistence on his candidacy and objections from some Shiite figures caused a planned Framework meeting to collapse. https://www.shafaq.com/en/Iraq/EXCLUSIVE-Al-Maliki-ties-PM-bid-withdrawal-to-blocking-Al-Sudani-renewal
Read more: Iraq PM race stuck between largest bloc dispute and US pressure
PM Al-Sudani Monitors Situation After Deadly Attacks On PMF Positions
2026-03-12 Baghdad- Shafaq News Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is monitoring the situation after attacks targeted positions of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), killing several members of Iraq’s security forces, military spokesman Sabah Al-Numan said on Thursday.
Al-Numan said the strikes killed several members of the security forces while they were on duty within their assigned areas of responsibility, warning that such actions seek to create instability and undermine Iraq’s security gains.
“We will not allow Iraq to become a battleground for settling scores or a stage for violating national dignity.”
Over the past two weeks, PMF facilities in several Iraqi provinces have come under a series of air and drone strikes, including in al-Anbar, Kirkuk, Babil, and Wasit. Jurf al-Sakhr in Babil province recorded the highest number of strikes during the recent escalation, while the deadliest attack occurred today in al-Anbar province, where airstrikes hit three sites belonging to the PMF’s 19th Brigade (Ansar Allah al-Awfiya) in the Akashat area of al-Qaim district near the Syrian border, leaving more than 120 casualties. The targets included the brigade’s medical unit, the second regiment headquarters, and a logistical support facility.
Iraqi Prime Minister Media Office Soropnetsd20t2t108g24a65a1965h28t6ul5a5tg1gh1ci29c4a886hc10u ·
Official Statement
Prime Minister and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Mr. Mohammed S. Al-Sudani, continues his close monitoring and assessment of the situation following the blatant attacks that targeted the positions of our forces from the units of the Popular Mobilization Forces, which resulted in the martyrdom of a number of our service members while performing their sacred duty within the missions of our security forces of all branches and within their respective areas of responsibility.
This systematic and repeated aggression, and the targeting of sites and headquarters, is not merely a military violation. It represents a desperate attempt to create confusion, undermine societal stability, and weaken the security achievements secured through the blood of Iraqis and the sacrifices of our martyrs.
We affirm that the blood of our service members is a solemn responsibility upon our shoulders, and we will not allow Iraq to become a battleground for settling scores or a stage for violating national dignity.
Mercy and eternal glory to the righteous martyrs of Iraq, and a swift recovery to our wounded heroes.
Sabah Al-Numan Spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
March 12, 2026 https://www.shafaq.com/en/Iraq/PM-al-Sudani-monitors-situation-after-deadly-attacks-on-PMF-positions
Airstrike On PMF Site In Al-Anbar Kills Over 20
2026-03-12 Shafaq News- Al-Anbar At least 20 fighters were killed and dozens wounded when unidentified warplanes struck a military site belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) early Thursday in western Iraq’s al-Anbar province, a security source told Shafaq News.
The airstrike hit a headquarters of the PMF’s 19th Brigade in the Akashat area of al-Qaim district near the Iraqi-Syrian border, a unit affiliated with Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya, an Iran-aligned faction operating within the state-sanctioned coalition.
The source described the casualty figures as preliminary, noting that the toll could rise.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and Iraqi authorities have not yet issued an official statement.
In 2024, the United States designated Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya —part of what is known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq— as a terrorist organization, accusing the group of attacking US troops stationed in Jordan and Syria and launching strikes toward Israel from areas south of Baghdad during the Gaza war.
Late Wednesday, an attack targeted a PMF headquarters in Kirkuk, killing one person and wounding seven others.
Read more: Post-Khamenei Iraq: Factional pressure Vs. state sovereignty
US Envoy Urges Shielding Iraq, Kurdistan From Regional War
2026-03-12 Shafaq News- Erbil US Presidential Envoy Tom Barrack said Iraq and the Kurdistan Region must be protected from the escalating conflict in the Middle East, warning against attacks targeting the Region by “outlaw PMF groups.”
“The US views Kurdistan as an important ally and partner and will continue coordination with it,” he said during a phone call with Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, stressing that both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq hold strategic importance for Washington, according to a statement by Barzani’s office.
Barrack also said Washington is prepared to help address outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad amid the region’s current tensions.
Barzani stated that the Kurdistan Region remains committed to regional stability. “Kurdistan has always been part of the solution and never part of any problem or tension,” he said, adding that the Region supports democracy, coexistence, and dialogue. https://www.shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/US-Envoy-urges-shielding-Iraq-Kurdistan-from-regional-war
A US Refueling Plane Crashed In Western Iraq, And A Rescue Operation Has Begun
latest news Thursday, March 12, 2026 Baghdad – One News 3/12/2026 The US Central Command announced the loss of a US Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker refueling aircraft during military operations in Iraqi airspace.
The command confirmed that the aircraft crashed in western Iraq during ongoing operations related to the war on Iran, noting that its loss was not the result of hostile or friendly fire.
For its part, the US military announced the start of a rescue operation after the plane went missing, without yet revealing additional details about the fate of the crew or the circumstances of the accident.
https://1news-iq.net/سقوط-طائرة-تزويد-بالوقود-أمريكية-غرب-ا/
Iran’s Denial Vs. Proxy Escalation: Iraq Caught Between Diplomacy And Battlefield Reality
2026-03-12 Shafaq News As the war between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other entered its thirteenth day, Iraq has become the clearest example of the contradiction between Iran’s diplomatic messaging and the operational reality of its allied factions: while Tehran’s diplomats insist Iran has not directly targeted Iraqi territory “so far,” waves of drone and missile attacks attributed to Iran-aligned factions continue to strike sites across the country, particularly in the Kurdistan Region.
The contradiction between diplomatic messaging and battlefield reality has become increasingly visible. Iran’s consul in Basra, Ali Abedi, told Shafaq News earlier that Tehran was exercising restraint and had not targeted US bases in Iraq “so far,” as long as those bases were not used to launch attacks against Iran.
Yet during the same period, the Iran-aligned Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) announced hundreds of operations against American interests and facilities it claims are linked to the US presence in the country.
According to statements issued by the factions, 291 operations were carried out over 12 days targeting US sites in Iraq and the region. The groups also claimed they had killed 13 Americans and wounded dozens more. The US-led coalition, however, said it intercepted many of the attacks and has not announced any confirmed American casualties.
The scale of the attacks has been most visible in the Kurdistan Region. Erbil Governor Omed Khoshnaw said the city had faced 176 aerial attacks in just ten days, most of them involving drones or rockets targeting military sites hosting coalition forces, including Harir Air Base and the vicinity of Erbil International Airport. Similar incidents have also been reported near Baghdad airport, where facilities linked to US logistical support are located.
Since the outbreak of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, regions across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region have been hit by repeated drone and missile attacks attributed to Iran-aligned factions. According to a tally cited by Reuters, at least 16 people have been killed in Iraq since the escalation began, including a commander from the Islamic Resistance in Iraq who died in an airstrike on his vehicle earlier this month.
Baghdad Seeks Distance From The War
Caught between regional escalation and internal security pressures, the Iraqi government has tried to distance the country from the widening conflict. Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said during a phone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian that Iraq rejects the war targeting Iran and will not allow its territory to be used as a launch point for attacks, while warning that attacks targeting Iraqi territory represent a violation of Iraq’s sovereignty and undermine efforts to contain the conflict and restore diplomatic dialogue.
Pezeshkian praised Iraq’s efforts to maintain regional stability and reaffirmed Iran’s respect for the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, remarks that came even as attacks attributed to Tehran-aligned factions continued across Iraq.
Iraq’s Foreign Ministry also condemned incidents targeting diplomatic and consular missions in Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region amid the rising tensions, reaffirming the government’s responsibility to protect foreign facilities operating in the country.
At the same time, Baghdad has begun preparing for a new phase of security threats linked to drone warfare. The government approved the purchase of counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) designed to intercept hostile drones after attacks struck several provinces, including Erbil, Babil, and al-Anbar.
Strategy Of “Expanding The Fire”
For some analysts, the intensifying attacks inside Iraq reflect a broader Iranian strategy rather than spontaneous factional actions.
Ahmed al-Yasiri, head of the Arab Australian Center for Strategic Studies, told Shafaq News that the pattern of operations suggests the presence of a coordinated regional approach often described as a strategy of “expanding the fire.”
“Iran’s defensive doctrine relies on what could be described as ‘distraction fronts,’” al-Yasiri said. “These factions operate as pressure tools within a wider regional strategy, similar to how Hezbollah has been activated in Lebanon during periods of escalation.”
According to al-Yasiri, the Iraqi arena represents an important front in that strategy because it hosts American military facilities and economic interests while remaining politically sensitive for Tehran.
“The Iraqi front is a front of pressure against the Americans,” he explained. “These factions are not acting randomly; they are linked to the broader framework set by the Revolutionary Guard and ideologically connected to the concept of Wilayat al-Faqih.”
However, al-Yasiri warned that the most dangerous aspect of the escalation may not be the attacks on foreign targets, but strikes that affect Iraqi infrastructure, which could be “the worst scenario. Iran still considers Iraq a friendly arena, but factions may exploit the war to impose a new political and security reality on the Iraqi state and society.”
Read more: US expert: Kurdish forces alone cannot defeat Iran’s IRGC
Tehran’s Perspective
A different interpretation comes from observers closer to Tehran’s political thinking.
Saleh al-Qazwini, a writer and researcher specializing in Iranian affairs, said Iran generally views attacks on US bases and interests as a legitimate response to what it considers hostile activities in the region.
“Iran sees the presence of American bases as harmful to the countries that host them,” al-Qazwini told Shafaq News. “From Tehran’s perspective, these bases function as centers of intelligence activity and political influence aimed at destabilizing the region.”
He argued that US diplomatic and military institutions in Iraq play a role in shaping Iraqi decision-making and security dynamics.
“The United States does not spend billions of dollars in the region without objectives,” he said. “Therefore, targeting these interests is seen by Iran as contributing to regional security.”
Why Kurdistan Became The Primary Arena
The contradiction between Iran’s diplomatic posture and the operational activity of its allied factions is most visible in the Kurdistan Region, which has become the primary arena for drone and missile attacks.
Iranian affairs expert Mahdi Azizi told Shafaq News that the entry of Iraqi factions into the confrontation happened gradually before reaching its current intensity.
“The coordination within what is known as the Axis of Resistance under the principle of ‘unity of arenas’ has reached advanced stages,” Azizi said. He noted that despite political assurances from Kurdish leaders, Tehran still perceives the Kurdistan Region as a potential security threat.
“In Iran’s strategic perception, Iraqi Kurdistan remains sensitive because of what it believes is the presence of foreign intelligence networks and Kurdish opposition groups [such as Komala, PJAK, and KDPI],” he explained.
Reports by CNN indicated that the United States, through the Central Intelligence Agency, has explored plans to arm Iranian Kurdish opposition groups in an effort to spark unrest inside Iran and potentially support ground operations in western parts of the country.
The armed Iranian Kurdish groups, whose fighters are largely stationed along the Iraq–Iran border inside the Kurdistan Region, are estimated to number between 5,000 and 6,000 combatants. Several of these factions have issued statements since the start of the war suggesting possible movements against Iranian forces.
Kurdish officials in Iraq, however, have downplayed such scenarios. In an interview with Fox News, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan leader Bafel Talabani denied reports that Iranian Kurdish fighters had crossed into Iran from Iraqi territory, warning that external involvement in Iran’s internal conflict could provoke nationalist backlash and ultimately strengthen support for the Iranian state rather than weaken it.
Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) leader Masoud Barzani said the region is not part of the war and remains committed to stability and dialogue.
Despite those assurances, Erbil has increasingly become the main arena for drone and missile activity linked to the wider regional escalation.
Iran’s Dual Strategy in Iraq
For Iraqi politician Mithal al-Alusi, the contradiction between Iranian diplomatic statements and factional actions reflects a deeper structural reality within Iran’s political system.
“The Iranian regime has two faces,” al-Alusi told Shafaq News. “One is the government and foreign ministry, which present a diplomatic image to the world. The other is the real power structure represented by the Supreme Leader and the Revolutionary Guard, which manages the files of militias and the export of the revolution.”
According to al-Alusi, Iran has built extensive political and security influence in Iraq, allowing it to use the American presence as a bargaining tool in regional politics. He described attacks on the Kurdistan Region and economic and military facilities as part of a broader attempt to entrench Iranian leverage within Iraq’s political system while pressuring Washington.
A Fragile Balance
The growing wave of drone and missile attacks illustrates how Iraq has become one of the most active arenas in the broader confrontation between Iran and its adversaries. Tehran’s official rhetoric emphasizes restraint and respect for Iraqi sovereignty; however, the operational landscape inside the country tells a more complicated story shaped by armed factions, strategic rivalries, and regional power competition.
The war continues, and Iraq also continues to face a difficult balancing act: preserving its sovereignty and internal stability while navigating a regional conflict in which key actors inside its borders are deeply connected to the wider geopolitical struggle.
Read more: Caught between war and neutrality: Kurdistan navigates escalating US-Iran confrontation
Written and edited by Shafaq News staff.