Kurdish Fears of Iraqi Advance to Recapture Crossing with Turkey

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz attends a meeting of the Saudi-Iraqi Bilateral Coordination Council with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi in Riyadh. (AFP)
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz attends a meeting of the Saudi-Iraqi Bilateral Coordination Council with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi in Riyadh. (AFP)
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Kurdish Fears of Iraqi Advance to Recapture Crossing with Turkey

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz attends a meeting of the Saudi-Iraqi Bilateral Coordination Council with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi in Riyadh. (AFP)
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz attends a meeting of the Saudi-Iraqi Bilateral Coordination Council with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi in Riyadh. (AFP)

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived in Baghdad on Monday evening in an unscheduled visit to meet with Iraqi President Fouad Massoud and Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi, and to call on Baghdad and Irbil to solve their disputes through dialogue.

Tillerson’s visit came hours after Abadi’s office rebuked him for his comments on the withdrawal of “Iran’s militias” from Iraq.

A statement issued by the Iraqi government presidency said that in his opening remarks at the meeting with Tillerson, Abadi said that “the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) is an official institution and is part of the Iraqi state institutions.”

The Iraqi prime minister added that the PMF fighters should be encouraged because they will be the hope of the country and region.

AFP quoted a source at the Iraqi government as saying that Tillerson and Abadi discussed the “government measures taken to restore the authority of the federal government in Kirkuk, in addition to the political and security situation.”

On Sunday, Abadi and Tillerson had attended a meeting between Saudi and Iraqi leaders in Riyadh aimed at promoting strategic ties between the two countries and countering Iran's regional influence.

Meanwhile, security sources in the Kurdistan Region pointed out to Iraqi military mobilization and the deployment of tanks and artillery near an area controlled by the Kurdish Peshmerga forces, warning that they are aimed at recapturing the Khabur border crossing between Kurdistan and Turkey.

Reuters quoted on Monday security sources as saying that Iraqi forces are deploying tanks and artillery near a Kurdish-held area of northern Iraq where a section of a Kurdish oil export pipeline is located, as well as land crossings to Turkey and Syria.

“The buildup is taking place northwest of Mosul,” an official from the Kurdistan Regional Government’s security council said.

An Iraqi government security advisor said taking control of the land crossings was part of measures planned by Baghdad, Reuters reported.

On Tuesday, Abadi is expected to visit Ankara. Turkey’s Anadolu Agency quoted a prime ministry official as saying the Iraqi prime minister will meet his Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim at Cankaya Palace.

The premiers would likely discuss ways to enhance cooperation in order to contribute to regional peace, stability and safety, the official, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on talking to the media, told Anadolu Agency.



Lebanon to Seek US Guarantees in Response to Proposal

US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack in Lebanon last week (Reuters)
US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack in Lebanon last week (Reuters)
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Lebanon to Seek US Guarantees in Response to Proposal

US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack in Lebanon last week (Reuters)
US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack in Lebanon last week (Reuters)

Lebanon plans to seek assurances from Washington on the implementation of any future deal involving Hezbollah’s disarmament, Lebanese political sources told Asharq Al-Awsat, ahead of a visit by US envoy to Beirut Tom Barrack early next week.

The question of US guarantees tops Lebanon’s concerns, which are shared not only by Hezbollah but also by the Lebanese state, the sources said.

The issue is central to the discussions of a tripartite Lebanese committee that includes representatives of President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, meeting regularly at the presidential palace to draft a unified response to a US proposal.

In parallel, the Quintet group - comprising the US, France, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar - met at the US embassy in Beirut to discuss the situation, local media reported.

Saudi Ambassador Walid Bukhari was absent from the talks, reportedly due to travel.

According to the sources, Barrack’s visit is not solely to receive Lebanon’s response to the US proposal, but also to hold further consultations with the country’s top leaders.

The US paper outlines a phased plan prioritizing the disarmament of Hezbollah, delineation of Lebanon’s land border with Syria, and the implementation of long-delayed financial, economic, and administrative reforms.

“Lebanon views the proposal as the basis for negotiations, not a surrender document,” the sources said, noting that the primary demand to be raised will be related to binding US guarantees.

They cited the bitter experience that followed the previous ceasefire deal, after which Israel allegedly continued attacks, held on to five disputed points in southern Lebanon, and hindered the return of displaced residents—all while international aid for reconstruction failed to materialize.

“The committee is meeting almost daily,” one source said. “There is consensus on the need for an Israeli withdrawal from occupied points and an end to violations as a prerequisite for any deal. These are sovereign principles Lebanon will not abandon.”

Despite Hezbollah’s public resistance to disarmament, sources described the group’s current stance as “constructive.”

Hezbollah is said to be engaging in discussions through the state’s official channels, with party officials expressing concern over the absence of international guarantees and the risk of being sidelined politically once it gives up its arms.

“There are internal concerns that Hezbollah could be pushed out of political life, especially after talks around electoral law reforms,” one source said.

These fears are compounded by delays in international aid, reconstruction plans, and continued Israeli violations—issues that have persisted since the ceasefire in November.

On Wednesday night, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem reiterated the party’s rejection of “any threat of force or foreign meddling,” and insisted that Hezbollah would not “surrender land or weapons to the Israeli enemy” or compromise on its rights.

Qassem also accused Israel of violating the ceasefire more than 3,700 times, while the international community “watches silently, calling only for concessions.” He said Hezbollah would continue to resist, as it has done for decades.

A senior Hezbollah lawmaker said the group remains open to cooperating on strengthening the Lebanese state and restoring its authority across the country—provided Israel withdraws from disputed southern points and halts its ongoing violations.

MP Ali Fayyad, a member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, said the group “has consistently shown a positive willingness to cooperate in all matters related to state-building, institutional reform, and improving operational capacities to help achieve the desired stability.”

Speaking on Thursday, Fayyad added: “This includes supporting the state in extending its authority over all Lebanese territory and enabling it to carry out all its duties—chief among them the protection and defense of the people and sovereignty.” However, he warned, “None of this will be possible unless national efforts unite to achieve a key condition: Israel must withdraw from the five occupied positions it still holds, end its continued violations, and respect Lebanese sovereignty.”

Fayyad’s comments came amid a broader debate on the future of Hezbollah’s weapons and its role within the state.

Opposition lawmaker Fadi Karam from the Lebanese Forces party slammed Hezbollah’s rhetoric in a post on X.

Addressing Hezbollah’s Qassem, he wrote: “Your weapons have destroyed Lebanon and continue to give Israel an excuse to remain on our land. You’ve tied Lebanon to Iran. And now you claim that handing over your weapons to the Lebanese Army means handing them to Israel? That’s delusional and only exposes Lebanon to new wars.”

The statements reflect widening divisions over Hezbollah’s future role and the path toward national sovereignty and stability, as Lebanon grapples with US-led proposals aimed at de-escalating tensions and launching long-delayed reforms.