Kurdish Policy Analysis

  Iraqi soldiers inspect the site of a destroyed health care center in the Habbaniyah military base, which was targeted by an airstrike, Habbaniyah, Iraq, March 26, 2026. (AFP Photo)      T he Ministry of National Defense announced on Thursday that Turkish troops stationed in Baghdad as part of the   NATO   Iraq mission have left the country under the current circumstances. Daily Sabah has reported that NATO ordered its staff in Iraq to evacuate last Friday, while Iraq said that it was a temporary precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the personnel. Iraq, like Türkiye, stands to be affected by the ongoing U.S.-Israel-Iran war. NATO elements in Türkiye have intercepted several missiles reportedly fired by Iran, but the spillover of the conflict was worse for Iraq. Since the outbreak of war on Feb. 28, after U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, strikes have targeted both U.S. interests and pro-Iranian groups in Iraq. Baghdad has hardened its stance. On...

       Iraq emerges as critical fault line in widening Iran-Israel conflict ERBIL/BAGHDAD, March 24, Pshtiwan Faraj      Iraq is rapidly becoming a new frontline arena in the escalating confrontation between the United States, Israel and Iran, even as the country remains outside the main frontlines of the war, analysts say. While global attention has focused on Tehran, Washington and Tel Aviv, developments inside Iraq are increasingly shaping the trajectory of the broader conflict, exposing deep structural vulnerabilities in the country’s security and political system. Iraq has long struggled with instability following the 2003 U.S.-led invasion and the subsequent collapse of centralized authority. The rise and defeat of Islamic State left behind a fragmented security landscape, with numerous armed groups operating beyond full state control. As tensions between the United States, Israel and Iran intensify, global attention has fixed on Tehran, Wash...

          WASHINGTON/CAIRO/DOHA/LONDON, March 22 — The United States has presented Iran with a set of stringent conditions tied to a broader proposal aimed at securing a ceasefire and reducing regional tensions, Axios reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. The message was conveyed through intermediaries including Egypt , Qatar , and the United Kingdom , reflecting ongoing indirect diplomacy between Washington and Tehran, the report said. According to Axios, the proposal outlines six major commitments the United States is seeking from Iran as part of any potential de-escalation framework: A five-year suspension of Iran’s missile program A complete halt to uranium enrichment, reducing enrichment activity to zero The closure of nuclear facilities at Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, described in the report as damaged Acceptance of strict international monitoring and oversight of centrifuges and nuclear infrastructure Regional arms limita...