Why Washington’s anti-PMF moves are testing the Iraq partnership

MENASource October 23, 2025 • 7:39 am ET Print this page Why Washington’s anti-PMF moves are testing the Iraq partnership By Mohammed A. Salih Recent measures from the Trump administration against Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF)—a...

Lukoil sells global assets to Gunvor following US sanctions

Lukoil, Russia’s second-largest oil producer, has agreed to sell its international operations to Swiss-based commodity group Gunvor. The decision follows new US sanctions aimed at curbing Russian oil exports and tightening pressure on the Kremlin...

Iraq activates 400-kV transmission line to boost power supply

2025-10-19T19:29:22+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Maysan Iraq has brought a new 400-kilovolt transmission line online between Maysan and Amarah, a 52-kilometer link designed to improve electricity delivery in the south and...

Energy, Water and the Cost of Jordan’s Dependence on Israel

On the morning of June 13, 2025, air-raid sirens sounded across Amman and other Jordanian cities warning residents to shelter in place. Hours earlier, Israel had launched an unprecedented attack on Iran, triggering 12 days of retaliatory missile...

Washington Urges Baghdad to Disarm Militias

The United States has renewed pressure on Iraq to curb the power of armed groups, urging the government to disarm Iranian-backed militias. The appeal came during a phone call between Marco Rubio, US Secretary of State, and Mohammed Shia Al Sudani,...

Reliance Industries shares rise after purchase of Middle Eastern crude amid global supply shifts

Shares of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) rose 0.97% to Rs 1,478 on the BSE on Thursday, October 23, following reports that the company has stepped up purchases of Middle Eastern crude oil in recent days, potentially indicating a shift in its...

Iraq’s August Oil Exports Reach 3.49 Million Barrels Daily

Iraq’s surging oil exports of 3.49 million barrels per day should be cause for celebration, yet they underscore the nation’s most dangerous vulnerability. The Petro-State Paradox Iraq’s August oil export figures from the State Oil Marketing...

Iraq Oil Exports Reach 3.49 Million Barrels Daily in August

Iraq’s surging oil exports of 3.49 million barrels per day represent both the nation’s greatest strength and its most dangerous weakness. The Petro-State Paradox Iraq’s announcement through its State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) that August...

Industrial Sector Records Steady Growth, Strengthening Investment Climate and Job Creation

Ammon News - The industrial sector is on an upward trajectory, marking eight consecutive months of growth this year, a performance that underscores renewed investor confidence, economic stability, and the sector’s expanding role in driving...

Iraq’s elections and Muqtada al-Sadr’s endgame of power

In a statement last month, Iraqi Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr said his movement would boycott the November elections, hinting he wants to “change the faces and save Iraq” – reportedly his endgame since he withdrew his bloc from parliament in June...

What’s The West Up To In Its Talks With Iraq Over Building Out An LNG Sector?

There is a lot more than meets the eye to a series of meetings by U.S. and European firms recently to talk to Iraq’s leadership about opportunities in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, LNG has become the...

Iraq must rethink fiscal strategy to avert crisis, economist urges

2025-10-19T08:59:59+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Baghdad Iraq needs to overhaul its fiscal system to generate growth and jobs without widening its deficit, the Asul Foundation for Economic Development warned on Sunday,...

Reliance Industries buys more West Asian crude as global pressure on Russian oil rises

NEW DELHI: Mukesh Ambani backed Reliance Industries bought West Asian crudes last week and may place more orders, signalling that Western pressure against Russian oil may be starting to impact its procurement patterns. The refiner bought at least...

'UK forces on tense mission to help Gaza peace must remember lessons of Iraq'

Chris Hughes is the Daily Mirror Defence and Security Editor. Chris won specialist journalist of the year in 2013 at the UK Press Awards. He has reported from frontlines in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Ukraine and terror attacks...

Officer killed in Baghdad gas pipeline blast

2025-10-22T19:30:13+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Baghdad A gas pipeline explosion at an Energy Police facility in northwestern Baghdad killed one officer, the Interior Ministry said on Wednesday. According to a statement,...

Vision Education, Together Association partner to advance sustainability in Iraq

2025-10-22T21:14:23+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Erbil The Erbil-based Vision Education Foundation and Together to Protect Human and the Environment Association signed a memorandum of understanding to expand cooperation in...

BRICS+ Series: India, Russia and the Energy Equation

As the geopolitical spotlight turns to India’s oil diplomacy, a deeper story emerges, one that reveals not dependence, but strategic design. The question is no longer whether India can do without Russian oil, but rather how its energy pragmatism...

Iraq launches banking reforms to attract investment

2025-10-18T12:02:03+00:00 font Enable Reading Mode A- A A+ Shafaq News – Washington Iraq unveiled a new set of banking and economic reforms aimed “to strengthen the country’s financial system and attract foreign investment,” a senior Iraqi...

Energy diplomacy: How India is playing its oil game

India's foreign policy has long been defined by strategic autonomy and multilateral engagement. This stance has become more visible amid growing global polarisations due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Recent developments surrounding Russian oil have...

Read the November 2025 MEED Business Review

Mena players up the ante in global LNG production race; Investment takes UAE non-oil economy from strength to strength; Project finance activity draws international lenders back to market The GCC is projected to add at least 80 million tonnes a...