Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is scheduled to visit Iran later this week, according to Iraq’s state media. The visit follows his recent trip to the United States, where he met President Donald Trump. The Iraqi National News Agency reported that al-Zaidi will travel to Tehran at the end of the week to sign several memorandums of understanding aimed at strengthening bilateral relations.

This will be al-Zaidi’s first visit to Iran since taking office earlier this year with US support, after Trump vetoed another candidate. During his week-long US visit, al-Zaidi finalized 48 agreements and partnerships with American companies. Known as a businessman, he has pledged to rebuild Iraq’s weak economy and disarm Iran-backed groups responsible for attacks on US facilities.

The visit comes amid renewed tensions in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, where recent attacks blamed on Iran have caused instability. The area hosts US troops, foreign oil firms, and exiled Iranian Kurdish rebels.

A US soldier was killed and another injured on July 18 in northern Iraq when a downed Iranian drone exploded during an attempt to defuse it, according to a statement from US Central Command (CENTCOM) cited by Al Jazeera. The soldier’s identity has not been released. The incident occurred amid escalating military tensions between Iran and the United States following months of cross-border strikes and drone attacks.

Since the conflict between Iran and the US-Israel joint forces began on February 28, a total of 17 American soldiers have been killed. Just days earlier, two US soldiers died and one went missing in an Iranian attack in Jordan. CENTCOM reported that unidentified remains were recovered from the Jordan site and are being examined for identification.

The renewed hostilities follow the collapse of a temporary ceasefire and disputes over control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime route. The ongoing conflict has caused thousands of deaths and disrupted global energy supplies, heightening inflation risks worldwide.

US energy company HKN Energy has suspended all operations in Iraq’s Kurdistan region due to escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. The decision was reported by Kurdish media outlet Rudaw, citing a company official. It came only days after HKN signed an agreement with Iraq’s oil ministry to develop the Hamrin oil field in Salahuddin province. The deal, signed on July 9, aimed to raise daily oil output to 140,000 barrels and gas production to 40 million cubic feet.

The suspension follows a series of drone attacks in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah provinces that killed nine members of an Iranian Kurdish opposition group. The deteriorating security situation prompted the company to halt its activities. Earlier, UAE-based Dana Gas had also temporarily suspended operations at the Khor Mor gas field near Sulaymaniyah, citing credible threats.

The back-to-back suspensions highlight growing instability in northern Iraq’s energy sector as regional tensions intensify.

The Iraq-based armed group Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) has announced a $10 million bounty for anyone who kills U.S. President Donald Trump. The group, known for its pro-Iran stance, made the declaration on Thursday, stating that the reward money was collected from donations by its members and supporters. The announcement described Trump as a criminal and claimed that those who carry out the killing—whether individuals, groups, or institutions—would receive the reward.

In its statement, IRI said that freedom-loving people around the world would continue efforts to bring Trump to justice, accusing him of killing children and scientists. The group added that revenge for their fallen fighters was a mandatory commitment and vowed that tyrants would not remain unpunished.

According to a Gulf News report, the declaration followed Trump’s recent comment during a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House, where he acknowledged his role in the 2020 killing of Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.

Iraq and the United States signed 48 agreements and memorandums of understanding during Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s visit to Washington. The deals include major partnerships in the energy sector, particularly oil, involving companies such as ExxonMobil, KBR, GE Vernova, Shell, and Halliburton. Iraq also reached agreements with Syria on constructing a crude oil pipeline and signed a deal with satellite communications firm Starlink to launch its services in the country.

Iraq, rich in oil resources, is seeking to rebuild its economy after decades of war and instability. The country continues to face challenges including weak infrastructure, poor public services, mismanagement, and widespread corruption. The recent halt in oil exports due to regional conflicts has severely impacted state revenues, prompting Baghdad to seek urgent investment and cooperation.

Prime Minister al-Zaidi, who took office earlier this year with U.S. support, has pledged to strengthen Iraq’s fragile economy and disarm Iran-backed armed groups. Iraq continues to balance its diplomatic relations between the United States and neighboring Iran.

Iranian opposition groups based in Iraq’s Kurdistan region claimed on Friday morning that eight drones targeting their positions near Erbil were shot down. According to an Al Jazeera correspondent in the area, the drone attack occurred in the Alana Valley northwest of Erbil, where several opposition factions are stationed.

Kurdistan-based outlet Rudaw reported that the region’s counterterrorism department confirmed in a statement that coalition forces destroyed and brought down eight explosive-laden drones over Erbil’s airspace at dawn. No casualties have been reported so far. Authorities have not yet confirmed whether Iran was involved in the attack.

The incident adds to ongoing tensions in northern Iraq, where Iranian opposition groups have long maintained bases. The lack of confirmation regarding Iran’s role leaves uncertainty about potential escalation or retaliatory actions.

Iraq-based armed group Kataib Hezbollah has warned that it will stand by Iran if the United States launches any military attack. In a statement, the group’s secretary-general, Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, said that if Washington continues its war against Iran, Kataib Hezbollah will support the Iranian people and that the United States would pay a heavy price. He described the current situation as the beginning of a new conflict between the forces of truth and falsehood across the region, accusing the US of leading this confrontation.

Kataib Hezbollah, designated by the United States as a terrorist organization in 2009, is one of the most powerful Iran-aligned groups in Iraq. The US has previously accused Tehran of using Lebanese Hezbollah and Iraqi armed factions to suppress ongoing protests in Iran.

The warning underscores rising regional tensions as Iran and the US remain at odds, with the group reaffirming its commitment to defend Iran under any circumstances.

US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Iraq’s newly elected Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi in Washington on Tuesday. The meeting is viewed as highly significant given the escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran. This marks Zaidi’s first foreign trip since taking office, during which he will also meet senior US officials and representatives from major energy companies.

Analysts note that Zaidi’s visit comes as Iraq struggles to balance its relations with both the United States and Iran, two of its key allies. Zaidi, who rose to power with US support, has pledged to restore Iraq’s fragile economy and disarm Iran-backed militias. His government has set a September 30 deadline for disarmament, coinciding with the end of the US-led coalition’s mission in Iraq. Some armed groups have resisted, while others have expressed conditional cooperation.

During the visit, Zaidi is expected to sign major energy and infrastructure agreements with US companies, including a deal to deposit 500,000 barrels of crude oil daily into a special fund in exchange for stable electricity supply. Observers believe the trip could shape Iraq’s political stability and economic future.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi will travel to the United States on Monday for his first foreign visit since assuming office, according to a government spokesperson. During the week-long trip, he is expected to meet U.S. President Donald Trump, though the exact date of the meeting has not yet been confirmed. The visit comes at a time when Washington has been pressuring Baghdad to disarm Iran-backed armed groups that have previously attacked U.S. facilities in Iraq.

Government spokesperson Haidar al-Abudi said the visit, made at Trump’s invitation, will focus on strengthening economic ties and attracting U.S. investment, particularly in the oil and electricity sectors. Iraq, facing major revenue losses due to halted oil exports amid regional conflict, is seeking urgent measures to revive its economy. Al-Zaidi has pledged to bring all weapons under state control, a move he says is essential for stability and investment, though it has met resistance from powerful militias.

During the trip, several new agreements are expected, including a fund where Iraq will deposit 500,000 barrels of oil daily in exchange for enhanced electricity supply. The U.S. has also resumed transferring Iraq’s oil revenue funds, which had been temporarily suspended earlier this year.

Iran-backed militia coalition Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) has strongly opposed the Iraqi government’s upcoming visit to the United States and the planned meeting between Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi and President Donald Trump. In a statement circulated via Sabereen News, the group denounced the government’s decision, saying the visit comes at a time when the United States and Israel are committing atrocities across Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, and Palestine.

The militias called for Iraq’s economy to be freed from American dominance and declared that any U.S. military presence on Iraqi soil would be considered an illegal occupation. Their statement reflects deep resentment toward Washington’s influence in the region and signals growing internal opposition to the government’s diplomatic outreach.

Prime Minister Al-Zaidi’s visit to Washington is expected to include discussions on several oil and gas agreements. However, the militias’ reaction has heightened political tension within Iraq, underscoring divisions over the country’s foreign policy direction.

Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), also known as Hashd al-Shaabi, announced that more than 2.3 million people participated in a mourning procession for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the holy city of Najaf. The statement, broadcast on Iran’s state media IRIB on Wednesday, said people from across Iraq joined the event, with the number of mourners continuing to rise.

As part of several days of farewell ceremonies, Khamenei’s body was taken to Najaf. Similar commemorations were also organized in Qom, Karbala, and his hometown of Mashhad. The funeral prayer was first held at the shrine of Hazrat Ali (RA), followed by the official mourning procession that began at 6 a.m. local time in Najaf.

The procession moved from the shrine through Kufa Bridge and Thawrat al-Ashreen Square toward Al-Sadrin Square before Khamenei’s body was taken to Karbala, marking a major moment in the multi-day mourning events.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s body was brought to Najaf, Iraq, where millions of mourners gathered for a funeral procession on Tuesday night. The procession began at the Al-Kufa Bridge and moved toward the shrine of Imam Ali, one of the holiest sites for Shia Muslims. Video footage showed Najaf transformed into a sea of people as Khamenei’s coffin and family members arrived by plane.

Following several days of memorial events in Iran, the funeral ceremonies were transferred to Iraq. Officials confirmed that Khamenei’s body will also be taken to Karbala, where additional processions are planned. Experienced Iraqi officials and volunteers have been preparing for the upcoming ceremonies in Karbala.

Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, was killed on February 28 in a U.S.-Israeli attack along with members of his family and senior officials, according to the report.

Extensive preparations are underway in Iraq’s Karbala for the funeral of Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, described by Iranian and Iraqi officials as a symbol of unity between the two nations. Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, said the ceremonies in Najaf and Karbala would strengthen solidarity between the peoples of Iran and Iraq and reinforce their joint stance against U.S. conspiracies.

Qaani emphasized that the Iraqi government’s initiative and the people’s large-scale preparations reflect the deep spiritual and fraternal ties between the two countries. He also recalled the sacrifices of Qassem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis as shared symbols of resistance. Karbala Governor Nassif Jassem al-Khattabi confirmed that all security and logistical measures have been completed, with coordination among federal forces, the prime minister’s office, and service agencies.

The funeral will take place in three stages: official ceremonies on Tuesday evening, a procession in Najaf on Wednesday, and final events in Karbala later that day. Authorities expect large crowds and have declared a public holiday in Karbala Province.

Iraqi authorities have arrested 47 officials, including a member of parliament, in a sweeping anti-corruption operation in Baghdad and other provinces. The arrests were carried out early Sunday by security forces led by the counterterrorism unit, targeting the capital’s fortified Green Zone and another city area. The operation follows Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s pledge to combat corruption and assert state control over weapons since taking office with US support.

According to Iraq’s state news agency INA, the detainees include government officials and at least one from the oil ministry. The campaign comes ahead of al-Zaidi’s planned visit to Washington, where he is expected to seek US investment and reaffirm efforts to disarm Iran-backed armed groups. A diplomat in Baghdad told AFP the crackdown is part of preparations for that trip and a signal of the prime minister’s commitment.

Officials said the arrests are part of a broader effort to curb financing of armed groups and smuggling of dollars and Iranian oil. The anti-corruption commission confirmed that the warrants were issued by courts, based partly on confessions from a previously detained oil ministry official.

Iraq has launched a major diplomatic initiative aimed at reducing tensions in the Middle East and restoring regional stability. Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein announced that Iraq has proposed to mediate between the eight member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Iran to resolve existing disagreements. The move follows recent U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran and the closure of the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, which has severely affected Iraq’s economy.

According to reports, Hussein discussed the mediation proposal in detail with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has caused a sharp economic crisis in Iraq, as nearly 95 percent of its national revenue depends on oil exports transported through the waterway. Araghchi’s visit to Iraq also includes coordination for the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to be held in the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala.

The visit comes at a time when the U.S.–Iran memorandum of understanding remains fragile. Tehran reiterated its demand that Washington fully comply with the agreement, particularly the clause calling for ceasefires and an end to hostilities across all fronts, while condemning repeated U.S. attacks on southern Iranian military bases and ports.