Middle Orient News

Germany’s Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel on Monday called on Iraq’s central government and the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) in northern Iraq to resume dialogue. Speaking at a joint news conference with KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani in Berlin, Gabriel underlined Germany’s financial support for Iraq in future would depend on …

Control of the Ibrahim Khalil border gate between Turkey and northern Iraq has been handed over to Baghdad, Turkey’s prime minister announced on Tuesday. Speaking at the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party’s parliamentary group meeting, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkish officials will remain in control of the Habur …

Senior Turkish, Iraqi and US military officials met in Ankara on Thursday to discuss regional developments and security challenges. Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar, his Iraqi counterpart Othman Al-Ghanimi, Commander of US European Command (EUCOM) Curtis Scaparrotti and Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM) Joseph Votel attended …

Iraq’s military Sunday paraded in Baghdad Green Zone to celebrate the full liberation of Iraqi lands from the Islamic State (IS) group. The parade was held in the morning at the Celebrations Square in the heavily fortified Green Zone, which houses the main government offices and foreign embassies, and was …

After Iraq’s announcement of victory over so-called Islamic State (IS), France is continuing to work with Baghdad to help it with security challenges, but also to achieve national reconciliation and reconstruction, the French Foreign Ministry said Monday.

Ankara would host on Thursday a trilateral meeting for top Turkish, Iraqi and US military officials, the Turkish General Staff said Monday. The meeting would be attended by Chief of Turkish General Staff Gen. Hulusi Akar, Iraqi counterpart Gen. Othman Al-Ghanimi, Commander of the US European Command Curtis Scaparrotti and …

The EU congratulated Monday the Iraqi people and government following the holding of a victory celebration on Sunday in Iraq to mark the defeat of the so-called Islamic State (IS).

Lawmakers in Germany on Tuesday extended the country’s military mission against the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Mali until March 2018. Germany has not formed a new government following an election in September, but it is expected that the next administration will further extend the mission.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al-Abadi Saturday agreed that solving differences between Baghdad and Iraq’s Kurdistan region should be through dialogue and respect of territorial unity. Macron, in a phone call with Abadi, reaffirmed that France believed in unity and safety of Iraqi territories, and that …

France calls for a constructive national dialogue in Iraq to have a “strong and integrated” Iraq and a “respect for pluralism” in the country’s Kurdish region, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Saturday. The dialogue must be built around four fundamental elements, in full compliance with the 2005 Constitution of …