Hamza Mustafa

Hamza Mustafa
Arab World Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (AP)

Rifts Deepen Within Iraq’s Coordination Framework Over Next Prime Minister

Iraqi political forces that have won seats in the recent parliamentary elections are moving to lay the groundwork for forming the next federal government. …

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)
Arab World  Election workers count ballots as they close a polling station, during the parliamentary election in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. (AP)

‘Saddam Hussein’ Wins Parliament Seat in Iraq after his Disqualification Is Overturned

Iraq’s Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) announced that it has overturned the disqualification of a candidate, called Saddam Hussein al-Naimi, from…

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)
Arab World Kurdistan Democratic Party leader Masoud Barzani (Rudaw Network)

Barzani Says Armed Factions Stronger Than the State in Iraq, Lebanon

Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani said the Iraqi presidency carries symbolic weight for the Kurds under a political convention in place since 2005, and argued that…

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)
Arab World Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani with Defense Minister Thabet al-Abbasi and Army Chief of Staff General Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah (Archive–Prime Minister’s Office)

US Warns Baghdad Against Armed Faction Interference in Planned Operations

Just two days after a US message reassured Baghdad about the future of bilateral relations, the Iraqi government appears to have received its sternest warning…

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)
Arab World A woman walks past a banner depicting political candidates from a rival bloc, competing for a seat in the Iraqi parliament, days before the parliamentary elections, in Old Mosul, northern Iraq, on October 28, 2025. (EPA)

Trump Envoy Says Wants Iraq Free of Iran’s ‘Malign’ Interference

US President Donald Trump’s new envoy to Iraq Mark Savaya has outlined the nature of his mission, stirring controversy and debate in the country as it gears up…

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)
Arab World  US President Donald Trump with Mark Savaya, newly appointed special envoy to Iraq. (Instagram)

New US Envoy Wants to ‘Make Iraq Great Again’

New US presidential envoy to Iraq Mark Savaya stressed on Saturday that his mission aims to restore trust and bolster the strategic partnership between Baghdad…

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)
Arab World A woman pushes a cart past a banner for Iraq’s parliamentary elections in Baghdad (AP)

Iraq Election Campaign Heats Up as Sudani Accuses Rivals of ‘Lies

Iraq’s parliamentary election campaign is intensifying as the country heads toward a pivotal vote that many warn will shape its political trajectory, either…

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)
Arab World Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani speaks at his political block campaign rally before the parliamentary elections in Mosul, Iraq, Oct. 18, 2025. (AP)

Iraq's Coordination Framework Has Limited Options in Disarming Factions 

Tensions between Baghdad and Washington have been growing more strained in recent days, particularly after the telephone talks between Prime Minister Mohammed…

Hamza Mustafa (Baghdad)