With Iraq’s parliamentary elections concluded, the winning alliances and parties have begun initial consultations to form the largest coalition that will select a candidate to lead the new government, amid deep divisions within the Coordination Framework.

At a pivotal moment in Syria’s political landscape, Damascus’ entry into the U.S.-led coalition against ISIS marks a strategic shift that is reshaping regional and international alliances.

During the electoral campaign, public statements from figures linked to Iran-backed armed factions praised al-Halbousi and urged Sunni voters to support him, while warning against voting for the Iraqi Sovereignty Alliance.

Before Iraq’s elections, Washington made no secret of its desire to keep militias away from both the political and security arenas, arguing that their presence strengthens Iranian influence in the country.

Freed after 14 years under house arrest, 88-year-old Iranian reformist Mehdi Karroubi has returned to sharply criticize Supreme Leader Khamenei, call for reforms, and advocate for political prisoners, reasserting his role as a steadfast voice of dissent.

Western media outlets have warned about the growing influence of Iran-backed militias over Iraq’s telecommunications sector, which could give them control of the national database.

Tensions have escalated between Moscow and Tehran after Russia’s Sergey Lavrov and former Iranian diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif traded accusations over the snapback mechanism, described as the “legal trap” in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

Amid the sharp decline of Iran’s regional axis following the events of October 7, 2023, Tehran has been quietly orchestrating coordination meetings among its allied Shia forces, particularly in Iraq and Lebanon.

The Iranian regime seems to be adopting a cautious approach, maintaining the 2024 hijab law on paper but refraining from active enforcement—at least in the near term.

Less than a month after sanctioning four Iran-backed militias in Iraq, Washington imposed a new wave of sanctions that targeted Iraqi officials and state institutions accused of laundering money for Tehran’s government.

Lebanese channel al-Mayadeen, linked to Hezbollah, may be relocating from Beirut to Baghdad following the recent launch of Al-Mayadeen Plus, which begins covering Iraqi affairs with the parliamentary elections as a prelude to broader regional coverage.

Iraq's parliamentary elections come amid a notable decline in Iran’s regional influence, an absence of security unrest in Sunni cities, the unprecedented boycott by the Sadrist movement since 2005, and the exclusive adoption of biometric voting cards.

Lebanon has remained unyielding on how it handles Syrian detainees in its prisons, even as Damascus and Beirut work to improve relations following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s threats to target leaders of Iraqi factions have raised questions over whether his remarks signal a real danger or are merely for political show—and how Baghdad will respond.

Western nations have levied a flurry of sanctions targeting Iran’s nuclear program associates in the wake of the activation of the snapback sanctions reimposition mechanism on Tehran.