Iraq

TEHRAN, Dec 31 (NNN-IRNA) – Iran, on Monday, denied involvement in recent deadly attack on the U.S. forces in Iraq, Press TV reported.

The Iranian government spokesman, Ali Rabiee, said that, “we strongly deny any role in attacks on the U.S. forces” in Iraq.

“This unsubstantiated U.S. claim cannot justify the bombing and killing of people in violation of international regulations,” Rabiee was quoted as saying.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - A top Iraqi militia leader warned of a strong response against U.S. forces in Iraq following air strikes in Iraq and Syria overnight that hit several bases of his Iranian-backed group and killed at least 25 people.

The U.S. military carried out air strikes on Sunday against the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia group in response to the killing of a U.S. civilian contractor in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base, officials said.

28 Dec 2019; MEMO: A US civilian contractor was killed in a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base near the oil-rich city of Kirkuk on Friday, US officials said, Reuters reports.

Several US service members and Iraq personnel were also wounded, the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State said in a statement, adding that Iraqi security forces would be leading the response and investigation into the incident.

MOSUL, Iraq, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- In Iraq's second largest city of Mosul, joy and hopes reappear on the faces of the shop owners of the city's oldest market, after two years when Iraq declared full liberation from the extremist Islamic State (IS) group.

In the old city of Mosul, still in ruins and scarred by the intensive clashes between IS militants and Iraqi security forces, many shops in the ancient al-Attareen market started to open their doors.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iran-supported groups on Friday blasted Iraq’s president for not naming their preferred prime minister candidate, saying his decision was at the behest of the United States, and warned him to not name anyone who could be “an agent of the Americans.”

In refusing to appoint Fatah-backed candidate Asaad al-Eidani on Thursday, President Barham Salih said he was responding to broad opposition by anti-government protesters who have flooded the streets for nearly three months to demand the overthrow of Iraq’s entire political class.

27 Dec 2019; MEMO: The Iraqi President Barham Saleh submitted his resignation to parliament yesterday following weeks of anti-establishment protests that left hundreds dead and thousands wounded.

Media reports said Saleh explained in his resignation letter that he prefers to resign rather than appoint a candidate to form a government who is rejected by the protesters.

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s president refused on Thursday to designate a prime minister candidate nominated by the Iran-backed parliamentary bloc and offered to resign, plunging the country into further political uncertainty amid nearly three months of unprecedented mass protests.

President Barham Salih said in a statement issued by his office that he would not name the governor of the southern Basra province, Asaad al-Eidani, as the country’s next prime minister “to avoid more bloodshed and in order to safeguard civil peace.”

BAGHDAD, Dec 26 (NNN-NINA) – An Iranian-backed bloc, in Iraq’s parliament, proposed the governor of oil-rich southern Basra province, as the country’s next prime minister, but the nomination was promptly rejected by Iraqi protesters, who want an independent candidate to take over the government, officials said.

The Fatah bloc, which includes leaders associated with the paramilitary Popular Mobilisation Units, supported by Iran, proposed Gov. Asaad al-Eidani, for premier.

BAGHDAD, Dec 25 (NNN-NINA) – The Iraqi parliament approved a new election law, as part of the efforts to meet the demands of the anti-government protesters.

After the vote on the law, the Parliament Speaker, Mohammed al-Halbousi, announced that the new election law was approved.

According to the new law, each of the country’s 18 provinces will have several electoral districts, with one lawmaker to be elected per 100,000 people.

24 Dec 2019; MEMO: Iraq has entered a constitutional vacuum after the deadline set for political parties to agree on the next prime minister passed without success.

The agency said hundreds of anti-establishment protesters have blocked major roads in the capital, Baghdad, and in central and southern provinces to protest the’ failure to agree on the prime minister.