Iraq

Baghdad announced in September 2026, according to Anadolu Agency, that it had completed a draft agreement with Ankara to develop infrastructure and transport under the Development Road project, which aims to link Iraq's Grand Faw Port with Turkey and onward to Europe through roads and railways spanning 1,200 kilometres at an estimated cost of 17 billion dollars. In the same month, Prime Minister al-Zaidi urged neighbouring states and partners at the UN General Assembly to join. Iraq, Turkey, Qatar and the UAE signed a memorandum of understanding on the project in April 2024.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Falih al-Zaidi proposed on Saturday, at the opening of the 52nd session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation Council of Foreign Ministers in Baghdad, an initiative to link energy, railway, transport and digital communications networks, and to develop digital payments, trade platforms and industrial integration. The statement did not name participating countries, costs, financing or a timeline, nor explain any link to the Development Road project. Al-Zaidi reaffirmed Iraq's position on Palestine, called for free trade and protected trade routes, and thanked Pakistan for defusing an unspecified crisis. The session runs 17 to 18 October.

Iraqi border authorities announced a periodic joint meeting with their Saudi counterparts to discuss bilateral border coordination. The Iraqi delegation was headed by senior border command officials, while the Saudi side was led by Major General Falah bin Falah bin Hathleen. The meeting formed part of established cooperation between the two countries' border security institutions. The newspaper confirmed that the meeting took place on Thursday, but the available reporting did not establish specific new agreements, operational deployments, or changes to border procedures resulting from the discussions.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi set June 30, 2027, as the deadline for resolving the issue of weapons held by Iran-aligned armed groups outside state control. He described October 1, 2026, as the start of a serious process based on an agreed roadmap and timetable. The initiative invokes the constitutional principle that decisions of war and peace belong to constitutional authorities and follows the end of the U.S.-led international coalition’s mission in Iraq.

The United States and its coalition partners formally concluded Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. The withdrawal ended the coalition’s military mission while Washington said it would continue providing training and targeted intelligence support to Iraqi partners. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi said the end of the coalition mission did not end Iraq’s fight against terrorism but marked a transition toward full Iraqi responsibility for national security and stability.

On the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly session in New York, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi met Kuwait's Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. The two sides agreed to form a joint Iraqi-Kuwaiti working team to review outstanding bilateral files, draft a roadmap to resolve them, and submit joint recommendations to both countries' leaderships within 30 days. The team will meet alternately in Baghdad and Kuwait until its work is completed.

Iraq and Türkiye announced an understanding to establish full Iraqi state authority in Sinjar and end the presence of prohibited foreign armed elements in the area. The understanding was included in their joint statement following bilateral negotiations on 23 September. The report notes that Türkiye previously conducted operations against Kurdistan Workers' Party fighters in northern Iraq and that Turkish authorities maintain that a limited number remain in the region. The announcement does not establish that armed groups have withdrawn or that full federal control has already been implemented.

Türkiye and Iraq announced an agreement to deepen security cooperation following negotiations on their bilateral strategic relationship on 23 September. The agreement was included in a joint statement issued by the Turkish presidency and the Iraqi prime minister's office. The announcement accompanied a separate agreement concerning the gradual transfer of Bashiqa military camp. The source does not specify additional operational arrangements, new joint security units, funding commitments, or a detailed implementation timetable for the broader security cooperation agreement.

Türkiye and Iraq announced an agreement on 23 September to gradually transfer control of the Turkish military camp at Bashiqa-Zilkan in northern Iraq to the Iraqi federal government. A joint statement issued by the Turkish presidency and Iraqi prime minister's office said the transfer would follow an agreed mechanism and timetable, reflecting progress in Iraqi security measures. The announcement followed a meeting between the Turkish president and Iraqi prime minister in New York. The source does not disclose the transfer schedule or confirm that the handover has begun.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed cooperation between Turkey and Iraq on strategic transport and energy projects during his United Nations General Assembly address in New York on September 22. He specifically mentioned the Development Road project connecting Iraq with Turkey and onward markets in Europe. The supplied article also reported his support for efforts to strengthen Iraqi state authority and stability. It did not report a newly signed agreement, a newly opened section of the route or a revised implementation schedule. The recorded event is his public statement.

The Kurdistan Region presidency said on September 21 that it planned to announce the unification of Peshmerga forces under the regional Ministry of Peshmerga Affairs that day. Presidency spokesperson Dilshad Shihab said no Peshmerga force would remain outside the ministry after September 21. The ministry had previously announced completion of restructuring and unified command arrangements. The supplied article describes the planned ceremony and official assertions but does not independently establish that every unit had been integrated or that the ceremony occurred.

The Basra Criminal Court sentenced an unidentified foreign national to death for drug trafficking on September 20, according to Iraq's Supreme Judicial Council. Authorities said the defendant had been found in possession of 10 kilograms and 50 grams of hashish intended for trafficking and distribution. The court issued the sentence under Article 27 of Iraq's Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Law No. 50 of 2017. The council did not disclose the defendant's name, nationality, or original arrest date. The report did not indicate whether an appeal had been filed.