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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

Many of Iran’s senior leaders have been killed. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

Not like Venezuela: why Iran is likely to survive US-Israeli strikes

Islamic Republic’s government is expected to prove resilient despite attacks that have targeted many of its top leaders.

23 Mar 2026 - 10:10PM

Middle East

US hub in Iraq targeted overnight by Iranian drones, rockets

22 Mar 2026 - 8:25PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran war nears 3-front tipping point as Gulf energy hubs burn

21 Mar 2026 - 12:30PM

China energy security

Strait of Hormuz tensions rise as Iran reportedly charges ships for safe passage

Around 20,000 seafarers are still stuck in the Gulf as Tehran reportedly charges at least one tanker about US$2 million to pass through the strait.

20 Mar 2026 - 7:00PMvideocam

A liquefied petroleum gas tanker is anchored near the Strait of Hormuz, which remains almost entirely closed to shipping traffic amid the US-Israeli war on Iran. Photo: Photo: Reuters

South Korea

South Korea risks US rift over Iran’s Hormuz Strait squeeze

Any deal with Iran could undermine South Korea’s alliance with the US and their US$350 billion trade deal.

20 Mar 2026 - 8:10AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

US has no end date for Iran war, strikes ‘very much on track’: Hegseth

Trump will be the one to decide when to stop, the defence secretary says, as Pentagon asks for US$200 billion in extra funding.

19 Mar 2026 - 11:52PM

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong more attractive to talent amid Middle East tensions, labour chief says

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun says fourth of imported workers from various schemes are foreign passport holders.

18 Mar 2026 - 9:59PM

The CareerConnect Expo at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai. Photo: Karma Lo

US, Israel war on Iran

Stockholm says Iran executed Swede after Tehran announces spy put to death

This is the first public announcement of an execution since Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran on February 28.

18 Mar 2026 - 9:19PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran vows revenge for security chief Larijani’s killing as Israel hunts leader

Tehran’s ‘right-hand man’ dies in air strike as Israeli military spokesman issues warning for Mojtaba Khamenei.

18 Mar 2026 - 3:03PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Drone hits US embassy in Baghdad as Iran-backed groups stage attacks

Tehran-backed militias have been attacking ⁠US interests in Iraq in retaliation for ⁠the US-Israel war on Iran.

18 Mar 2026 - 3:11PMvideocam

A fire burns on the grounds of the US embassy in Baghdad’s fortified ‘Green Zone’. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

Top US counterterrorism official quits, says Trump was ‘deceived’ into Iran war

Joseph Kent quits NCTC in protest, alleging ‘no imminent threat’ existed and citing pressure from Israel and lobbyists as the true catalyst for conflict.

18 Mar 2026 - 10:26AM

Joseph Kent, who has resigned as director of the National Counterterrorism Centre. Photo: AFP

Middle East

Drone and rocket attacks target US embassy as Iraq is pulled into war

Iraq’s Green Zone in Baghdad comes under attack as war rages on multiple fronts in the Middle East.

17 Mar 2026 - 6:39PMvideocam

China trade

Strait of Hormuz marks first full day’s pause as no ships cross amid Iran war

Transits fell to zero on Saturday but vessels have clustered outside corridor, signalling expectations of reopening, analytics firm says.

16 Mar 2026 - 7:02PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump warns he ‘may delay’ China visit in demand for countries to secure Hormuz

Some allies say no to ships, after US president demands at least seven countries help secure the strategic waterway.

16 Mar 2026 - 6:46PMvideocam

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US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping when they met in Busan, South Korea, October 30, 2025. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards issue death threat for Israeli PM Netanyahu

Before the threat, US President Donald Trump said Tehran wanted ‘to make a deal, I don’t want to because the terms aren’t good enough yet’.

15 Mar 2026 - 7:39PMvideocam

People burn an image of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a demonstration in Mexico on Saturday. Photo: EPA

Trending in China

Iraqi reporter raised in China, famous for viral dance, to marry Xinjiang woman

Journalist who grew up knowing only war and conflict in the Middle East yearns for peace in the region; his catchphrase is ‘I envy Chinese’.

15 Mar 2026 - 6:09PM

Iran

Why the Iran war marks a turning point for Gulf-Asia trade

The closure of the Middle East’s important straits – Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb – is forcing Gulf and Asian nations to explore other options.

15 Mar 2026 - 2:00PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran war entering ‘decisive phase’, Israel says, as attacks continue

Washington’s embassy in Iraq was hit by a drone, while clouds of black smoke rose over the Fujairah energy facility in the UAE.

14 Mar 2026 - 11:51PM

Smoke rises in the Fujairah oil industry zone, caused by debris after interception of a drone by air defences, according to the Fujairah media office, amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran, in Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates, on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

Hamas calls on Iran to ‘avoid targeting neighbouring countries’

The Palestinian Islamist group also urges the international community to ‘work towards halting’ the ongoing war immediately.

14 Mar 2026 - 7:30PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

2 members of Iran-linked group killed in predawn blasts on Iraqi capital

The strikes are the first in the heart of Baghdad to kill Iran-backed fighters since the start of the war on February 28.

14 Mar 2026 - 11:35AMvideocam

War and conflict

Opinion | US-Israeli war on Iran makes a mockery of global governance rules

Inevitably, the world will be split between those committed to peace and harmony, and those who want to fight to secure dominance.

13 Mar 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

US President Donald Trump gestures during a visit to Verst Logistics in Hebron, Kentucky, US, on March 11. Photo: Reuters

Middle East

US military refuelling plane crashes in Iraq, killing all 6 aboard

The KC-135 aircraft was part of the operation against Iran but the crash was not due to ‘hostile fire’, US Central Command said.

13 Mar 2026 - 11:01PM

A US Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aerial-refuelling aircraft flies over Tel Aviv on March 4. On Thursday, a US KC-135 aircraft crashed in western Iraq . Photo: AFP

Nordic nations

Trio with Iraq links arrested for ‘terrorist bombing’ of US embassy in Norway

The siblings are Norwegian citizens, and police are investigating if they were working on their own or on orders from a foreign entity.

12 Mar 2026 - 2:47AM

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump threatens ‘death, fire, and fury’ as US destroys 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels

After reports of mine-laying in the Strait of Hormuz, the US unleashes its ‘most intense’ day of strikes on Iran since the war began.

11 Mar 2026 - 5:48PM

China trade

China’s oil-import surge seen shielding economy with 120-day buffer

Crude volumes rose sharply in January and February as Beijing amassed reserves, pre-empting Mideast risks, and analysts say it provides a strong buffer for global supply disruptions.

10 Mar 2026 - 7:00PMvideocam

A crude oil tanker is guided to a berth at a terminal in China’s Shandong province on Saturday. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

Casualty figures across the Middle East as Iran war enters second week

Since the launch of ‘Operation Epic Fury’, casualties have mounted across the region, with civilians in Iran and Lebanon bearing the brunt.

10 Mar 2026 - 1:11PM

An Israeli strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs on Monday. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

Where things stand after another weekend of war in the Middle East

As Mojtaba Khamenei takes the helm in Tehran, regional casualties climb and oil prices surge in a conflict that enters its 10th day on Monday.

9 Mar 2026 - 8:13PMvideocam

Middle East

Who is Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new supreme leader?

A power broker with deep Revolutionary Guard ties, the 56-year-old cleric takes command of a nation under fire after a week of devastating air strikes.

9 Mar 2026 - 7:54PMvideocam

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Iraq

Not like Venezuela: why Iran is likely to survive US-Israeli strikes

Islamic Republic’s government is expected to prove resilient despite attacks that have targeted many of its top leaders.

US hub in Iraq targeted overnight by Iranian drones, rockets

Iran war nears 3-front tipping point as Gulf energy hubs burn

Strait of Hormuz tensions rise as Iran reportedly charges ships for safe passage

Around 20,000 seafarers are still stuck in the Gulf as Tehran reportedly charges at least one tanker about US$2 million to pass through the strait.

South Korea risks US rift over Iran’s Hormuz Strait squeeze

Any deal with Iran could undermine South Korea’s alliance with the US and their US$350 billion trade deal.

US has no end date for Iran war, strikes ‘very much on track’: Hegseth

Trump will be the one to decide when to stop, the defence secretary says, as Pentagon asks for US$200 billion in extra funding.

Hong Kong more attractive to talent amid Middle East tensions, labour chief says

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun says fourth of imported workers from various schemes are foreign passport holders.

Stockholm says Iran executed Swede after Tehran announces spy put to death

This is the first public announcement of an execution since Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran on February 28.

Iran vows revenge for security chief Larijani’s killing as Israel hunts leader

Tehran’s ‘right-hand man’ dies in air strike as Israeli military spokesman issues warning for Mojtaba Khamenei.

Drone hits US embassy in Baghdad as Iran-backed groups stage attacks

Tehran-backed militias have been attacking ⁠US interests in Iraq in retaliation for ⁠the US-Israel war on Iran.

Top US counterterrorism official quits, says Trump was ‘deceived’ into Iran war

Joseph Kent quits NCTC in protest, alleging ‘no imminent threat’ existed and citing pressure from Israel and lobbyists as the true catalyst for conflict.

Drone and rocket attacks target US embassy as Iraq is pulled into war

Iraq’s Green Zone in Baghdad comes under attack as war rages on multiple fronts in the Middle East.

Strait of Hormuz marks first full day’s pause as no ships cross amid Iran war

Transits fell to zero on Saturday but vessels have clustered outside corridor, signalling expectations of reopening, analytics firm says.

Trump warns he ‘may delay’ China visit in demand for countries to secure Hormuz

Some allies say no to ships, after US president demands at least seven countries help secure the strategic waterway.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards issue death threat for Israeli PM Netanyahu

Before the threat, US President Donald Trump said Tehran wanted ‘to make a deal, I don’t want to because the terms aren’t good enough yet’.

Iraqi reporter raised in China, famous for viral dance, to marry Xinjiang woman

Journalist who grew up knowing only war and conflict in the Middle East yearns for peace in the region; his catchphrase is ‘I envy Chinese’.

Why the Iran war marks a turning point for Gulf-Asia trade

The closure of the Middle East’s important straits – Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb – is forcing Gulf and Asian nations to explore other options.

Iran war entering ‘decisive phase’, Israel says, as attacks continue

Washington’s embassy in Iraq was hit by a drone, while clouds of black smoke rose over the Fujairah energy facility in the UAE.

Hamas calls on Iran to ‘avoid targeting neighbouring countries’

The Palestinian Islamist group also urges the international community to ‘work towards halting’ the ongoing war immediately.

2 members of Iran-linked group killed in predawn blasts on Iraqi capital

The strikes are the first in the heart of Baghdad to kill Iran-backed fighters since the start of the war on February 28.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | US-Israeli war on Iran makes a mockery of global governance rules

Inevitably, the world will be split between those committed to peace and harmony, and those who want to fight to secure dominance.

US military refuelling plane crashes in Iraq, killing all 6 aboard

The KC-135 aircraft was part of the operation against Iran but the crash was not due to ‘hostile fire’, US Central Command said.

Trio with Iraq links arrested for ‘terrorist bombing’ of US embassy in Norway

The siblings are Norwegian citizens, and police are investigating if they were working on their own or on orders from a foreign entity.

Trump threatens ‘death, fire, and fury’ as US destroys 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels

After reports of mine-laying in the Strait of Hormuz, the US unleashes its ‘most intense’ day of strikes on Iran since the war began.

China’s oil-import surge seen shielding economy with 120-day buffer

Crude volumes rose sharply in January and February as Beijing amassed reserves, pre-empting Mideast risks, and analysts say it provides a strong buffer for global supply disruptions.

Casualty figures across the Middle East as Iran war enters second week

Since the launch of ‘Operation Epic Fury’, casualties have mounted across the region, with civilians in Iran and Lebanon bearing the brunt.

Where things stand after another weekend of war in the Middle East

As Mojtaba Khamenei takes the helm in Tehran, regional casualties climb and oil prices surge in a conflict that enters its 10th day on Monday.

Who is Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new supreme leader?

A power broker with deep Revolutionary Guard ties, the 56-year-old cleric takes command of a nation under fire after a week of devastating air strikes.

Opinion | US-Israeli war on Iran makes a mockery of global governance rules