The Iranian regime spent decades building the Axis of Resistance, a coalition of anti-Western militias that extended Tehran’s influence deep into the Arab world. But what takes years to build can collapse seemingly overnight.

Republican Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina shared the message "Make Iraq Great Again!" The congressman has indicated that Iran controls Iraq.

Iranian street vendors wait for customers in the main market to sell their Iranian-made goods and food produced in Iran, in Basra, Iraq, Monday, Feb. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Nabil al-Jurani)

Oil futures rose modestly as the U.S. imposed fresh sanctions on Iran and Iraq offered a commitment to compensate for overproduction of its OPEC+ quotas in recent months.

For Muslims in Saudi Arabia and most Sunni-ruled Middle Eastern states Ramadan will begin on Saturday, but in Shiite-majority Iran and Iraq it will start the following day, authorities announced.

Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, says the Iranian regime uses the Iraqi oil industry to evade U.S. sanctions. Jafarzadeh advises the Trump administration to readdress its policy toward Iraq as a way to cut off financial resources to Iran.

With momentum on its side, Turkey is making a big diplomatic push in Iraq. That puts it on a potential collision course with Iran. The post Iraq Could Be the Next Arena for Turkey and Iran's Rivalry appeared first on World Politics Review.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is piling pressure on Iraq to allow Kurdish oil exports to restart or face sanctions alongside Iran, eight sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Oil prices settled higher on Monday as fresh U.S. sanctions on Iran and a commitment to compensate for overproduction by Iraq added to concerns of near-term supply tightness, helping the market recover some of Friday's steep losses.

A speedy resumption of exports from Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region would help to offset a potential fall in Iranian oil exports, which Washington has pledged to cut to zero as part of Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran.

Flows of crude oil through a pipeline from the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region in northern Iraq to Turkey could restart soon after an almost two-year shutdown. Sources told Reuters that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is piling pressure on Iraq to allow Kurdish oil exports to restart or face sanctions alongside Iran.

Republican Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina shared the message “Make Iraq Great Again!” The congressman has indicated that Iran controls Iraq.  Read More