The appointment of a Turkmen governor in Iraq’s oil-rich Kirkuk is anything but routine, not least because it marks the first time in nearly a century that the post has gone to a figure from the Turkmen community.

Iraq’s parliament has elected Nizar Amedi as the country’s new president, ending a political deadlock that had paralysed government formation.

Sustained strikes on Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces in Sunni areas reflect efforts to weaken their presence, limit Iranian influence, and reshape Iraq’s security landscape amid regional competition.

For the first time in decades, Iraq has turned to overland fuel exports through Syria, a move that underscores the scale of disruption hitting its traditional shipping routes as war on Iran intensifies, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz.

Faisal bin Farhan al Saud’s criticism of the Popular Mobilization Forces triggered Iraqi backlash but no official escalation.