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Speculations Surround Shamkhani’s Visit to Iraq

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani (Arabic website)
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani (Arabic website)
    Baghdad, London- Hamza Mustafa and Asharq Al-Awsat
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Speculations Surround Shamkhani’s Visit to Iraq

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani (Arabic website)
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani (Arabic website)

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani arrived in Baghdad on Saturday for a two-day visit said to be focused on coordinating efforts to combat the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

But the timing of Shamkhani’s visit suggests he is seeking to bridge the divide that has divorced the Shiite bloc from unity in Iraq. The Middle Eastern country’s crisis deepened with Prime Minister-designate Mohammed Allawi withdrawing his candidacy for the post.

Shamkhani is the highest-ranking Iranian official to visit Iraq since the killing of Qassem Soleimani, a top Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps commander, near the Baghdad International Airport in early January.

Observers believe that Shamkhani is in Baghdad to compensate for the absence of Soleimani who, for years, had played a prominent role in unifying the positions of the Shiite parties on important and divisive issues in Iraq.

Iraqi MP Abdallah al-Kharbeet told Rudaw that it is normal for officials of countries to pay visits.

“We have many issues with Iran, in addition to the role that Iraq can play as a mediator between Iran on the one hand, and the West and Arab countries on the other hand,” Kharbeet said.

Noting that the reason behind Shamkhani’s visit remains unknown, Kharbeet said that if it’s in the abovementioned context then it is positive and welcomed.

“It is unacceptable if the visit is part of meddling with the political affairs inside Iraq, or trying to impose solutions for the candidate for prime minister,” Kharbeet explained.

Political analyst Hisham al Hashmi tweeted: “Shamkhani came to fill gaps in the political file caused by Soleimani's absence.”

Foreign influence on post-2003 Iraqi government formation looks unlikely to end with Iranian state media outlet IRNA reporting that Shamkhani will be meeting Iraq’s three presidencies – caretaker prime minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi, President Barham Salih, and parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi.

Shamkhani will also meet Iraqi political party leaders to discuss cabinet formation, IRNA added.

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Arab World

First Israeli Civilian Killed in Lebanon Border War Was Hit by Israeli Fire

Smoke rises after an Israeli strike, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, as seen from Marjayoun, Lebanon, March 22, 2026. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher
Smoke rises after an Israeli strike, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, as seen from Marjayoun, Lebanon, March 22, 2026. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher
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First Israeli Civilian Killed in Lebanon Border War Was Hit by Israeli Fire

Smoke rises after an Israeli strike, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, as seen from Marjayoun, Lebanon, March 22, 2026. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher
Smoke rises after an Israeli strike, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, as seen from Marjayoun, Lebanon, March 22, 2026. REUTERS/Karamallah Daher

Israel said on Monday its own forces had misfired artillery that killed an Israeli farmer near the Lebanese frontier, the first Israeli civilian killed in a border conflict being waged in parallel with the war in Iran.

Ofer Moskovitz, 60, an avocado farmer in the town of Misgav Am, had spoken with Reuters just last week and said he was worried about the fighting at the border.

In a ⁠statement, Major General ⁠Rafi Milo, who heads the military's northern command, said: "Moskovitz was killed by our own forces’ fire during an operation whose entire purpose was to protect them."

The military had initially blamed cross-border fire from Lebanon when it first reported the incident on Sunday.

Israel has ⁠launched a major ground assault and air campaign into Lebanon to root out Hezbollah, a powerful Iran-backed militia, which fired into Israel in support of Tehran two days after the start of the Israeli-US air attacks on Iran.

Lebanese authorities say more than a thousand people have been killed and more than a million driven from their homes in Lebanon. The death of Moskovitz was the first reported in Israel. The ⁠military ⁠says two Israeli soldiers have been killed in combat.

"Every five minutes you can hear the bombs," Moskovitz told Reuters last week.

The military's statement said troops had opened fire to support soldiers operating in southern Lebanon, but "severe issues and operational errors" had taken place.

"The artillery fire was carried out at an incorrect angle and did not follow required protocols," it said. "As a result, five artillery shells were fired at the Misgav Am ridge instead of toward the enemy target."

Arab World

Iraqi PM Says Accelerating Withdrawal of Anti-ISIS Coalition Forces

13 January 2023, Berlin: Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani speaks during a press conference. (dpa)
13 January 2023, Berlin: Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani speaks during a press conference. (dpa)
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Iraqi PM Says Accelerating Withdrawal of Anti-ISIS Coalition Forces

13 January 2023, Berlin: Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani speaks during a press conference. (dpa)
13 January 2023, Berlin: Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani speaks during a press conference. (dpa)

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said he would accelerate the dismantling of a US-led international anti-ISIS coalition, in an interview with an Italian newspaper published Monday.

The prime minister's comments come as the country finds itself unwillingly drawn into the conflict in the Middle East, which began with Israeli and US strikes on Iran on February 28.

Pro-Iran armed groups have claimed responsibility for near-daily attacks on US interests in Iraq and across the region, while strikes have also targeted these groups.

The end of the international anti-ISIS coalition's mission was initially planned for September 2026 in Iraq, with the drawdown launching in 2024.

The end of the mission was intended to pave the way for bilateral security partnerships with member countries of the alliance, formed in 2014 to fight the extremist ISIS group.

"With our allies we have now decided to bring forward the end of the international coalition, which was supposed to continue until September 2026," Sudani told Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera.

"Once there are no more foreign military contingents on Iraqi soil, it will be easier to break up the armed factions," he said, referring to pro-Iran groups in the country.

The presence of foreign troops -- particularly American advisers -- is a long-running point of contention between the government and the pro-Iran armed factions.

Baghdad has demanded a monopoly on weapons and called for the dismantling of the groups' arsenals, which the factions justify by pointing to the presence of foreign soldiers.

Both the government and the coalition insist the coalition deploys military advisers -- who provide expertise and support, aiming to prevent a resurgence of ISIS -- to Iraq at the invitation of the authorities.

These advisers are currently only deployed in northern Iraqi Kurdistan and were scheduled to remain there until September 2026.

In January, the first phase of the coalition withdrawal agreement was completed, with personnel leaving the Iraqi military bases.

The coalition is also in the process of withdrawing from neighboring Syria, where it also deployed, having recently handed over its bases to Syrian government forces.

Arab World

Indonesia Says No to $1bn Fee for Trump's 'Board of Peace' Seat

Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026. (Reuters)
Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026. (Reuters)
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Indonesia Says No to $1bn Fee for Trump's 'Board of Peace' Seat

Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026. (Reuters)
Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto attends the 56th annual World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026. (Reuters)

Indonesia's president, under fire at home for signing up to US counterpart Donald Trump's so-called "Board of Peace", has insisted his country would not pay the $1 billion joining fee for permanent membership.

Jakarta had only committed peacekeeping troops for the initiative, Prabowo Subianto said in a statement published on the presidential YouTube channel Sunday, AFP reported.

The "Board of Peace" came together after the Trump administration, teaming up with Qatar and Egypt, negotiated a ceasefire in October to halt two years of devastating war in Gaza.

Countries that want to be permanent members must pay $1 billion -- sparking criticism the board could become a "pay-to-play" version of the UN Security Council.

Prabowo, a former general, has come under criticism from Indonesian Muslim groups for joining the board and pledging to send 8,000 peacekeeping troops to Gaza.

Prabowo attended the inaugural meeting of the "Board of Peace" in Washington last month.

But he later said he would withdraw from the board if it does not bring benefits to Palestinians or align with Indonesia's national interests.

"We never said that we wanted to contribute $1 billion," Prabowo said in statements broadcast on his YouTube channel Sunday.

He said he did not make any financial commitments "at all".

Prabowo signed a tariff deal with the US last month, but insisted Sunday that Indonesia could withdraw from any agreement if its conditions or execution threatens the national interest.

Talks with Washington about any peacekeeping mission to Gaza have been put "on hold", according to state news agency Antara, citing Foreign Ministry spokesman Vahd Nabyl Achmad Mulachela.