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Qaani in Baghdad 2 Days after Iran's Strikes on Erbil

Esmail Qaani. (AFP file photo)
Esmail Qaani. (AFP file photo)
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Qaani in Baghdad 2 Days after Iran's Strikes on Erbil

Esmail Qaani. (AFP file photo)
Esmail Qaani. (AFP file photo)

Commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force Esmail Qaani arrived in Baghdad on Tuesday in an unannounced visit, two days after the Guards claimed responsibility for ballistic missile attacks against Erbil, the capital of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.

Iran said the barrage was retaliation for an Israeli strike in Syria that killed two members of the Guards earlier this month. Iranian state media said the Guards had launched the attack against Israeli "strategic centers" in Erbil.

Qaani was likely in Baghdad to present "evidence" to back the Iranian claims of alleged Israeli activity in Kurdistan. He will also attempt to politically exploit the attack to help unify Shiite ranks in Iraq amid the sharp division between the Sadrist movement, led by cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, and the pro-Iran Coordination Framework.

Qaani will attempt to persuade Sadr that Israeli Mossad agents were operating in Erbil. This will force the cleric to abandon his alliance with the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP), headed by Masoud Barzani, and Sunni parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi and Khamis Khanjar.

Should he succeed, Qaani would have thrown a wrench in Sadr's plans for a majority coalition that shuts out Tehran from Iraqi politics.

So far, Qaani's frequent visits to Iraq after the October parliamentary elections have failed to unify Shiite ranks. In fact, Tehran's role appears to have waned, while Turkey has succeeded in uniting Sunni factions.

Despite its pressure, Iran has failed in thwarting the divisions among Shiite groups and it has failed in countering Sadr's plan for a majority coalition and government that shuns foreign meddling, namely from Iran and the United States.

The Erbil attack is also seen as a message to Barzani, whom Tehran blames for dividing Shiites.

Ultimately, Iran believes that its plans in Iraq can only be achieved by breaking up Sadr's alliance with the KDP and Sunnis. It would rather that all Shiites unite in one bloc, while it could care less if the Sunnis and Kurds unite or remain divided.

Sadr has formed a committee with Barzani to verify Iran's claims about Erbil.

Outgoing Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi had headed to the Kurdish capital on Monday to inspect the damage. He urged Iran to present evidence of its claims, a sign that he has sided with Sadr in the entire affair.

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Arab World

Nabil Fahmy’s Priorities at Arab League Helm: Reform and Strengthening Arab Coordination

New Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil Fahmy. (Facebook)
New Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil Fahmy. (Facebook)
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Nabil Fahmy’s Priorities at Arab League Helm: Reform and Strengthening Arab Coordination

New Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil Fahmy. (Facebook)
New Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil Fahmy. (Facebook)

In his first statement as the newly appointed secretary-general of the Arab League, Nabil Fahmy outlined what he sees as the organization’s key priorities for the coming years: modernizing its mechanisms and deepening Arab consultation and coordination.

After the Arab League approved his appointment on Monday, Fahmy said his five-year term, which begins on July 1, would focus on updating the organization and adapting its working methods to keep pace with rapid regional and international changes.

He stressed that the current phase requires closer Arab coordination to confront the crises and security threats facing the region, while strengthening cooperation to capitalize on emerging opportunities and turn existing challenges into drivers of stability and development.

Describing his unanimous selection as a “historic responsibility at a sensitive and pivotal moment,” Fahmy said the Arab world is confronting major challenges amid fast-moving regional and global transformations.

These conditions, he argued, demand stronger collective action, the defense of Arab interests, and a renewed commitment to solidarity among member states.

Fahmy underlined respect for the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of Arab states, as well as support for national efforts to achieve sustainable development and improve living standards.

He pledged that the Arab League would remain “the common home of the Arabs” and continue serving as a platform for dialogue, consultation, and coordination.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi meets the new Secretary-General of the Arab League Nabil Fahmy (Egyptian Presidency)

Changing strategic landscape

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Egyptian diplomat Mohamed Hegazy, a member of the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs and a former assistant foreign minister, said Fahmy’s priorities reflect a clear reading of the region’s realities.

“The Arab League must evolve in ways that add real value to collective Arab action,” Hegazy said, arguing that deeper consultation among Arab states will be essential to rebuilding confidence in the institution.

He pointed to a rapidly shifting strategic environment marked by the repercussions of the US-Iran conflict, the ongoing war in Gaza, the protracted crises in Sudan, Libya, and Yemen, and broader changes in the international order.

According to Hegazy, Fahmy’s unanimous election reflects broad confidence in his diplomatic experience, extensive regional and international ties, and ability to help reposition the Arab League at a particularly complex moment.

Fahmy succeeds fellow Egyptian Ahmed Aboul Gheit, who led the organization from 2016 to 2026. He will become the Arab League’s ninth secretary-general since its founding in 1945 and the eighth Egyptian to hold the post.

Rebuilding trust

Hegazy said that Fahmy’s first challenge will be restoring political confidence in the Arab League as a forum for Arab consensus rather than a body confined to meetings and communiques.

“The real challenge is not administrative reform, but convincing member states that the League can generate political value and manage disagreements through institutional mechanisms,” he explained.

According to Hegazy, institutional reform is also likely to include a review of decision-making procedures, a stronger role for research centers, and greater use of technology and artificial intelligence to support policymaking.

The League may also place greater emphasis on development, economic integration, digital transformation, energy, and food and water security - issues increasingly viewed as central to modern Arab national security.

Ultimately, Hegazy said, Fahmy’s success will depend on his ability to transform the Arab League from an institution that reflects Arab divisions into one that helps overcome them, forging a common Arab vision for security, development, and engagement with a rapidly changing world.

Arab World

Israel, Lebanon Discuss Proposal for Transfer of Some Southern Territory to Lebanese Army

A woman inspects the rubble of a collapsed building in the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon on June 23, 2026. (Photo by Fadel ITANI / AFP)
A woman inspects the rubble of a collapsed building in the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon on June 23, 2026. (Photo by Fadel ITANI / AFP)
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Israel, Lebanon Discuss Proposal for Transfer of Some Southern Territory to Lebanese Army

A woman inspects the rubble of a collapsed building in the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon on June 23, 2026. (Photo by Fadel ITANI / AFP)
A woman inspects the rubble of a collapsed building in the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon on June 23, 2026. (Photo by Fadel ITANI / AFP)

Talks between Israel and Lebanon include discussion of a US-backed proposal for Israeli forces to hand over some of the territory they have invaded during the war with Hezbollah to the Lebanese military, according to Israeli and Lebanese officials.

The Israeli officials said the Lebanese troops involved would undergo US training and vetting to ensure they are not linked to Hezbollah, while Israel would maintain a military presence in a buffer zone along the border.

The proposed "pilot" project is being discussed in the latest round ⁠of talks between Lebanese ⁠and Israeli officials, which got underway in Washington on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

Rejected by Hezbollah, this diplomatic track has been overshadowed as Tehran has made Lebanon a focal point of its negotiations with the US.

Asked about the Israeli officials' comments, a senior Lebanese security official said discussions were ongoing in Washington ⁠and that Wednesday would see specific military-to-military discussions, including on the pilot zones.

The Lebanese official said the discussions would focus on a timeline for withdrawal and that any plan would emerge only after the final day of talks on Thursday. The official did not respond to a request for comment on the Israeli officials' account of US vetting of Lebanese troops.

The latest war between Hezbollah and Israel erupted when the group opened fire at Israel in solidarity with ⁠Tehran in ⁠the early days of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

A ceasefire has largely held since Sunday, even as Israeli forces have remained deployed deep inside southern Lebanon, where they have seized a self-declared security zone, saying they need this to shield northern Israel from a Hezbollah attack.

The interim agreement signed by Iran and the US last week requires both countries and their allies to declare an immediate and permanent end of military operations on all fronts, including Lebanon, and to ensure Lebanon's "territorial integrity and sovereignty."

Arab World

Macron Seeks New Int’l Force for South Lebanon After UNIFIL Mandate Ends

This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon shows a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) armored vehicle driving past destroyed buildings in southern Lebanon on June 22, 2026. (AFP)
This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon shows a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) armored vehicle driving past destroyed buildings in southern Lebanon on June 22, 2026. (AFP)
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Macron Seeks New Int’l Force for South Lebanon After UNIFIL Mandate Ends

This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon shows a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) armored vehicle driving past destroyed buildings in southern Lebanon on June 22, 2026. (AFP)
This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon shows a United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) armored vehicle driving past destroyed buildings in southern Lebanon on June 22, 2026. (AFP)

French President Emmanuel Macron pressed ahead with efforts to shape a new international force for southern Lebanon after the mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) expires at the end of this year.

Macron spoke by phone on Tuesday with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, discussing developments in Lebanon and the region in light of the US-Iran negotiations in Switzerland. They also tackled the situation in southern Lebanon amid the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the future of international forces operating in the south, and international efforts to support Lebanon.

In his call with Aoun, talks focused on “the situation in the south and the next steps after the announcement of the ceasefire.”

They reviewed the outcome of last week’s G7 summit in the French city of Evian, according to a statement from the Lebanese presidency. Aoun thanked Macron for the position issued by the summit on Lebanon.

UNIFIL’s future took up a central part of the discussion. The two leaders examined the period after its mission ends, especially given the willingness of several European countries, with Lebanon’s backing, to keep forces inside the international area of operations.

Macron told Aoun he would contact several countries to clarify their positions, particularly as UNIFIL’s withdrawal from Lebanon is set to begin at the start of 2027.

The call also covered Lebanese-Syrian relations and coordination between the two countries. Aoun welcomed remarks by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in his latest television interview, in which he stressed Syria’s commitment to Lebanon’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.

Sharaa said Syria did not intend to intervene militarily in Lebanon, despite comments by US President Donald Trump.

France's President Emmanuel Macron, left, and Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visit the Vivatech fair in Paris, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP)

Sharaa stressed that any Syrian role would go exclusively through the Lebanese state and not through other parties, and that Damascus wanted to bolster Lebanon’s stability and strengthen its official institutions.

During Macron’s call with Salam, the two leaders “continued discussions on the results of Salam’s recent visit to Paris, as well as an assessment of the negotiations that began in Switzerland and their repercussions for the region and Lebanon.”

They discussed efforts to secure the necessary conditions for two planned conferences, one to support the army and security forces and another to support reconstruction in wake of the war between Israel and Hezbollah.

The calls come as the future of the international forces in southern Lebanon emerges as one of the most prominent issues under global discussion. At the G7 summit, leaders devoted a significant part of their talks to Lebanon, focusing on the need to find an alternative to UNIFIL once its mandate ends.

According to diplomatic information, discussions are moving toward the creation of a multinational force in which France and other European countries, including Germany, Spain and Italy, have shown readiness to participate.

Its core mission would be to support and train the Lebanese army, equipping it with the capabilities needed to expand its deployment and extend state authority, thereby reinforcing stability and implementing security arrangements in southern Lebanon.