Iraq

BAGHDAD, Jul 1 (NNN-NINA) – Hundreds of Iraqis rallied yesterday, in the capital Baghdad, to protest against the burning of the Muslim holy book, the Quran in Sweden.

The angry protesters, the majority of whom were followers of Shiite cleric, Moqtada al-Sadr, gathered in the Salhiyah neighbourhood, where the Swedish embassy is located, just outside the heavily-fortified Green Zone in central Baghdad.

30 June 2023; MEMO: Hundreds of Iraqi demonstrators yesterday stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad to protest the burning of the holy Quran in Stockholm.

Shia cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr had called for a large "angry" protest outside Sweden's embassy in Baghdad, demanding the expulsion of its ambassador from the country as well.

BAGHDAD, Jun 30 (NNN-NINA) – The Iraqi Foreign Ministry, yesterday summoned the Swedish ambassador, over the burning of the Muslim holy Quran, as Muslims worldwide marked the festival of Eid al-Adha.

The ministry voiced its strong protest against the Swedish government’s permission, for an extremist, to burn a copy of the Quran in the the Swedish capital, Stockholm, the ministry said, in a statement.

The ministry also called on the Swedish government to take necessary measures, to stop the repeated insults to the Quran, the statement added.

BAGHDAD, Jun 25 (NNN-NINA) – The Iraqi Ministry of Interior said yesterday, security forces had arrested 315 drug dealers and users, during the past seven days, across the country.

The ministry’s intelligence agency said in a statement that, its forces also confiscated 22 kg of narcotic crystal, in Baghdad and other Iraqi provinces, during the week-long raids.

The raids also resulted in the arrest of 83 suspected terrorists, and the seizure of 102 weapons, six sites for smuggling crude oil and its derivatives and 21 vehicles.

BAGHDAD, Jun 16 (NNN-NINA) – Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, yesterday met with visiting Qatari Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to discuss strengthening bilateral ties.

The two leaders co-chaired a meeting in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, during which they discussed issues related to energy, transportation, investment, as well as, security and information cooperation, according to a statement issued by al-Sudani’s media office.

BAGHDAD, Jun 14 (NNN-NINA) – Iraqi security forces have confiscated 155,000 narcotic pills, in Iraq’s western province of Anbar, the Iraqi Interior Ministry said, yesterday.

The ministry’s General Directorate of Narcotics Affairs, said in a statement that, the Iraqi security forces seized the Captagon pills, when they raided a farm of a drug dealer in Anbar province, who managed to flee the scene.

The statement did not give further details about the fugitive drug dealer, and when exactly the raid took place.

13 June 2023; MEMO:Iraq's parliament has today approved a budget of $153 billion (198.9 trillion Iraqi dinars) for 2023, a record amount aimed at improving public services and improving infrastructure. According to Reuters, the budget deficit is estimated at a record 64.36tn dinars, more than double the last budget deficit in 2021.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq urged countries on Monday to repatriate their citizens from a sprawling camp in Syria housing tens of thousands linked to the extremist Islamic State group, saying it has become a “source for terrorism.”

The statements were made during a conference in Baghdad discussing al-Hol camp in northeast Syria. Iraqi officials, the U.N. representative in Iraq, some members of the international coalition fighting IS and ambassadors of several countries were present.

11 June 2023; MEMO: Iraq has agreed to pay about $2.76 billion in gas and electricity debt to Iran after receiving a sanctions waiver from the United States, a senior Iraqi foreign ministry official said.

BAGHDAD, June 10 (Reuters) - Iraq has agreed to pay about $2.76 billion in gas and electricity debt to Iran after receiving a sanctions waiver from the United States, a senior Iraqi foreign ministry official said.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein was given the clearance during a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of the Riyadh Conference on Thursday, the foreign ministry source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media, told Reuters.