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Iraq

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Iraq. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Baghdad

Head of State

President Abdul Latif Rashid

Head of Government

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani

Exposing himself to the danger of unexploded ordnance, a boy tries to climb on an Iranian projectile that landed in an open field in the outskirts of Qamishli, eastern Syria. Photo: AP

US, Israel war on Iran

A guide to how the Iran war has ricocheted across the Middle East and beyond

From sunken warships to closed airspaces, here is a country-by-country breakdown of the conflict’s impact so far.

5 Mar 2026 - 10:01AMvideocam

Israel-Iran conflict

Turkey says missile launched from Iran destroyed by Nato

5 Mar 2026 - 12:40AM

US, Israel war on Iran

US and Kurds discuss potential Iran military operation: sources

4 Mar 2026 - 12:33PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Maritime mayhem: shipping firms halt Gulf routes amid regional military strikes

Rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz see vessels diverted and bookings suspended, as companies impose emergency fees of up to US$4,000 per unit.

4 Mar 2026 - 10:00AMvideocam

Cosco Shipping Lines has instructed all of its Persian Gulf-bound vessels to reduce speed, proceed to safe waters, or head to designated anchorages to await further notice amid regional disruptions. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran war: France’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier heads to the Mediterranean

Rafale fighter jets, air-defence systems and airborne radar systems have also been deployed in the Middle East.

4 Mar 2026 - 7:02AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | US war on Iran isn’t likely to go as planned

US war planners have overlooked viewing their adversary through realpolitik in the past. They now face a far more organised opponent.

3 Mar 2026 - 9:50PMvideocam

Hong Kong transport

Over 580 Hongkongers stranded in Middle East and seeking help

Cathay Pacific has extended flight suspensions to Dubai and Riyadh until March 14.

4 Mar 2026 - 2:48AMvideocam

A projectile is seen over the sky in the UAE. Photo: AP

War and conflict

Editorial | Strikes on Iran may complicate US-China ties

No significant impact expected on China’s, or Hong Kong’s, economy from the most recent conflict in the Middle East.

3 Mar 2026 - 7:15AM

China energy security

China faces oil squeeze after US-Israel strikes on Iran

Replacing discounted oil supplies from Iran would be a headache for China as Russia is already making up the loss of shipments from Venezuela.

2 Mar 2026 - 5:03PM

Cathay Pacific

432 Hongkongers stranded in Middle East and 47 flights cancelled

Cathay Pacific also suspends Dubai and Riyadh flights, as attacks force countries to close airspace.

2 Mar 2026 - 11:04PMvideocam

Flag carrier Cathay Pacific has suspended its Dubai services until Thursday. Photo: Eugene Lee

Pakistan

10 killed in Karachi as pro-Iran protests erupt across Pakistan, India

Security forces opened fire on protesters as they tried to storm the gates of the US consulate in Pakistan’s main port city.

2 Mar 2026 - 10:47AMvideocam

People attend the funeral of protesters killed outside the US consulate in Karachi, Pakistan, on Sunday. Photo: EPA

US, Israel war on Iran

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: defiant Iranian leader’s rule ended by his enemies

The death of the 86-year-old cleric in a US-Israeli operation leaves a vacuum at the heart of the Islamic Republic.

1 Mar 2026 - 8:11PMvideocam

Iran

Iran ‘internationalises battlefield’ as missiles put Gulf in firing line

Iranian strikes targeting American allies in the Middle East could bolster Arab rulers’ support for US-Israeli military operation.

1 Mar 2026 - 4:36PMvideocam

US-Iran tensions

Airspace closed, flights cancelled amid US-Israel-Iran conflict

Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Syria and the UAE all announced at least partial closures of their skies.

28 Feb 2026 - 11:04PMvideocam

An interior view of Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv in Israel on Saturday after the nation closed its airspace to civilian flights following a joint Israeli-US attack on Iran. Photo: Xinhua

Middle East

Missiles streak across Gulf skies as Iran responds to US-Israel attack

The sudden escalation in military operations has left many in the Middle East on edge.

28 Feb 2026 - 11:55PMvideocam

People watch from their balcony in Doha after Qatar’s defence ministry said it downed missiles targeting the country. Photo: Reuters

European Union

Opinion | Europe’s selective defence of the global order will sway no one

If Europe genuinely seeks to restore credibility to international law, it must first confront its own record of selective adherence.

18 Feb 2026 - 9:42PMvideocam

Australia

Australian citizen in Syria with alleged Isis ties banned from returning home

This is the first known use of a temporary exclusion order introduced in 2019 to prevent high-risk citizens from returning to Australia.

18 Feb 2026 - 8:16PM

Iran

Iran fires missiles, Khamenei threatens to sink US warship amid nuclear talks

As the talks began, local media announced that Iran had fired live missiles towards the Strait of Hormuz.

17 Feb 2026 - 10:54PMvideocam

Iran’s supreme eader Ali Khamenei waves during a meeting in Tehran on Tuesday. Photo: Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/Reuters

United States

US civil rights icon Jesse Jackson dies at 84: ‘my constituency is the damned’

The Baptist minister’s two presidential runs helped lay the groundwork for the election of America’s first black president, Barack Obama.

17 Feb 2026 - 6:53PM

Middle East

US pulls out of strategic military base and hands it over to Syria

Syria says its forces have taken over al-Tanf base, ending an American military presence that lasted for more than a decade.

13 Feb 2026 - 12:28PM

Jeffrey Epstein

Norwegian ambassador resigns over Epstein links as scandal widens

Ambassador Mona Juul’s contact with Jeffrey Epstein revealed a ‘serious lapse in judgment’, foreign minister says.

9 Feb 2026 - 11:32AM

Mona Juul, who resigned on Sunday following revelations of links to Jeffrey Epstein. Photo: Reuters

Malaysia

Malaysian waters see return of oil transfer by ‘dark fleet’ of tankers

A crackdown against two vessels off Penang was the first disruption of such a ship-to-ship oil transfer in the state for over 10 years.

4 Feb 2026 - 7:48PMvideocam

A transfer of oil between MT Nora ship (left) and Rcelebra ship (right) off Penang last month. Photo: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency

Middle East

Iraq’s parliament delays presidential vote again amid US pressure

In Iraq, by convention, a Shiite Muslim is prime minister, the parliament speaker is a Sunni and the largely ceremonial presidency goes to a Kurd.

1 Feb 2026 - 9:04PM

Middle East

Trump warns Iraq against returning former prime minister to power

US president says the US will ‘no longer help’ if Nouri al-Maliki is prime minister again.

28 Jan 2026 - 3:02PM

Middle East

Iraq elects president, to choose PM amid US pressure to cut Iran ties

Iraqi diplomats said the US demanded the eventual government exclude Iran-backed armed groups despite holding seats in parliament.

25 Jan 2026 - 9:30PM

Iraqi demonstrators burn a symbolic coffin wrapped with the flags of the US and Israel, during a demonstration in front of the Iranian Embassy in Baghdad, to show solidarity with Iran against US threats, on January 16. Photo: dpa

Saudi Arabia

‘Anything can happen’: Saudi-UAE rift risks tearing Middle East apart

The Gulf neighbours have turned from friends to foes, fighting proxy wars across the region and forcing global powers to pick a side.

25 Jan 2026 - 4:00PM

Yemeni separatists wave South Yemen and UAE flags during a protest against Saudi Arabia in Aden on December 30. Photo: EPA

Syria

Syrian deal unravels as sides clash and Isis prisoners escape

Integration agreement with the SDF falters amid reports that hundreds of militants fled prison as government forces moved in.

20 Jan 2026 - 12:24PM

Pakistan

Pakistan’s arms deals cleared for take-off as orders soar for JF-17 jets

The jets, co-produced with China, proved their worth during the India-Pakistan tensions, when they destroyed an S-400 air defence system.

16 Jan 2026 - 11:12AMvideocam

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Iraq

A guide to how the Iran war has ricocheted across the Middle East and beyond

From sunken warships to closed airspaces, here is a country-by-country breakdown of the conflict’s impact so far.

Turkey says missile launched from Iran destroyed by Nato

US and Kurds discuss potential Iran military operation: sources

Maritime mayhem: shipping firms halt Gulf routes amid regional military strikes

Rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz see vessels diverted and bookings suspended, as companies impose emergency fees of up to US$4,000 per unit.

Iran war: France’s nuclear-powered aircraft carrier heads to the Mediterranean

Rafale fighter jets, air-defence systems and airborne radar systems have also been deployed in the Middle East.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | US war on Iran isn’t likely to go as planned

US war planners have overlooked viewing their adversary through realpolitik in the past. They now face a far more organised opponent.

Over 580 Hongkongers stranded in Middle East and seeking help

Cathay Pacific has extended flight suspensions to Dubai and Riyadh until March 14.

Editorial | Strikes on Iran may complicate US-China ties

No significant impact expected on China’s, or Hong Kong’s, economy from the most recent conflict in the Middle East.

China faces oil squeeze after US-Israel strikes on Iran

Replacing discounted oil supplies from Iran would be a headache for China as Russia is already making up the loss of shipments from Venezuela.

432 Hongkongers stranded in Middle East and 47 flights cancelled

Cathay Pacific also suspends Dubai and Riyadh flights, as attacks force countries to close airspace.

10 killed in Karachi as pro-Iran protests erupt across Pakistan, India

Security forces opened fire on protesters as they tried to storm the gates of the US consulate in Pakistan’s main port city.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: defiant Iranian leader’s rule ended by his enemies

The death of the 86-year-old cleric in a US-Israeli operation leaves a vacuum at the heart of the Islamic Republic.

Iran ‘internationalises battlefield’ as missiles put Gulf in firing line

Iranian strikes targeting American allies in the Middle East could bolster Arab rulers’ support for US-Israeli military operation.

Airspace closed, flights cancelled amid US-Israel-Iran conflict

Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Israel, Syria and the UAE all announced at least partial closures of their skies.

Missiles streak across Gulf skies as Iran responds to US-Israel attack

The sudden escalation in military operations has left many in the Middle East on edge.

Opinion | Europe’s selective defence of the global order will sway no one

If Europe genuinely seeks to restore credibility to international law, it must first confront its own record of selective adherence.

Australian citizen in Syria with alleged Isis ties banned from returning home

This is the first known use of a temporary exclusion order introduced in 2019 to prevent high-risk citizens from returning to Australia.

Iran fires missiles, Khamenei threatens to sink US warship amid nuclear talks

As the talks began, local media announced that Iran had fired live missiles towards the Strait of Hormuz.

US civil rights icon Jesse Jackson dies at 84: ‘my constituency is the damned’

The Baptist minister’s two presidential runs helped lay the groundwork for the election of America’s first black president, Barack Obama.

US pulls out of strategic military base and hands it over to Syria

Syria says its forces have taken over al-Tanf base, ending an American military presence that lasted for more than a decade.

Norwegian ambassador resigns over Epstein links as scandal widens

Ambassador Mona Juul’s contact with Jeffrey Epstein revealed a ‘serious lapse in judgment’, foreign minister says.

Malaysian waters see return of oil transfer by ‘dark fleet’ of tankers

A crackdown against two vessels off Penang was the first disruption of such a ship-to-ship oil transfer in the state for over 10 years.

Iraq’s parliament delays presidential vote again amid US pressure

In Iraq, by convention, a Shiite Muslim is prime minister, the parliament speaker is a Sunni and the largely ceremonial presidency goes to a Kurd.

Trump warns Iraq against returning former prime minister to power

US president says the US will ‘no longer help’ if Nouri al-Maliki is prime minister again.

Iraq elects president, to choose PM amid US pressure to cut Iran ties

Iraqi diplomats said the US demanded the eventual government exclude Iran-backed armed groups despite holding seats in parliament.

‘Anything can happen’: Saudi-UAE rift risks tearing Middle East apart

The Gulf neighbours have turned from friends to foes, fighting proxy wars across the region and forcing global powers to pick a side.

Syrian deal unravels as sides clash and Isis prisoners escape

Integration agreement with the SDF falters amid reports that hundreds of militants fled prison as government forces moved in.

Pakistan’s arms deals cleared for take-off as orders soar for JF-17 jets

The jets, co-produced with China, proved their worth during the India-Pakistan tensions, when they destroyed an S-400 air defence system.

Opinion | US war on Iran isn’t likely to go as planned