OPEC+ keeps December oil output targets steady ahead of tougher call for 2027

November 2, 2026 12:37 PM

OPEC+ keeps December oil output targets steady ahead of tougher call for 2027

OPEC+ oil-producing countries kept December production targets steady on Sunday, confirming expectations that more policy adjustments will not occur until next year, as the group continues to struggle with export disruptions from the Iran war. Seven core OPEC+ members — Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, Kuwait, Algeria, Kazakhstan and Oman — made the decision in an online meeting on Sunday, OPEC said in a statement. While Gulf members have been boosting exports that have been disrupted for months...

India rejects OIC references, accuses Pakistan of pushing anti-India agenda

October 20, 2026 12:31 PM

India rejects OIC references, accuses Pakistan of pushing anti-India agenda

India has rejected references to it in resolutions adopted at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Baghdad on October 17–18, describing them as “malicious, biased, and false” and accusing Pakistan of orchestrating them. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed disappointment that the OIC had “once again allowed itself to be misused by Pakistan for its bigoted agenda”. The Ministry reiterated that the organisa...

Iraq says it transported 2 million barrels of crude through Strait of Hormuz

October 4, 2026 5:06 PM

Iraq says it transported 2 million barrels of crude through Strait of Hormuz

Iraq's state-owned Oil Tanker Company transported 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude aboard a very large crude carrier (VLCC) through the Strait of Hormuz, in what its director general described on Saturday as the company's first such operation in decades. The announcement means the company is transporting the crude through the strait rather than delivering it at the port of Basra, giving state oil marketer SOMO greater flexibility in how and where it sells the crude. The company's director gene...

“Last American Forces leaving Iraq”: Trump announces end of US military presence

October 1, 2026 12:58 AM

“Last American Forces leaving Iraq”: Trump announces end of US military presence

United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) announced that the final contingent of American troops is pulling out of Iraq, declaring a formal conclusion to Operation Inherent Resolve and hailing the exit as a “decisive victory over ISIS,” “a victory for the United States,” and “a victory for Iraq.” Addressing the media, Trump said, “Today, I’m pleased to announce that the last American forces are leaving Iraq… This day is a victory for the United States, it...

US forces exit Iraq, emboldening Iran’s proxies and Islamic State

September 30, 2026 10:49 AM

US forces exit Iraq, emboldening Iran’s proxies and Islamic State

US forces withdraw from their remaining bases in Iraq on Wednesday, raising fears they will leave behind a security vacuum, further embolden Iranian-backed militias and give the resurgent Islamic State group an opening to regroup. The departure, celebrated as a victory by Tehran and its allies, was agreed in 2024 under President Joe Biden and carried out by Donald Trump's administration even as it wages war against Iran, which wields influence in Iraq through proxies. It comes 23 years after U...

US forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran

September 29, 2026 1:33 PM

US forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran

US forces are set to pull out from their last bases in Iraq by Wednesday, a departure celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies who now have deep influence in the country where 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war. Iraqi security experts say the withdrawal - agreed in 2024 under President Joe Biden and carried out by Donald Trump's administration even as it wages war against Iran - could give Tehran and its powerful allies free rein, while also allowing other US enemies...

U.S. exits Iraq after 23 years; mission accomplished?

September 27, 2026 9:27 AM

U.S. exits Iraq after 23 years; mission accomplished?

After 23 years, the last American boots are leaving Iraqi soil. Come 30th September, the military mission that began with the 2003 invasion will officially be over. But is this a true exit or just a shift next door? What does it mean for Iraq, Iran, and a deeply volatile region? youtu.be/J-P85gOHi4E For nearly a generation, the U.S. military has shaped Iraq’s fate. From the "shock-and-awe" invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein to the brutal, years-long fight against the Islamic State terroris...

Trump reportedly rejects Iran’s Hormuz proposal; Iraq seeks sanctions exemption for flights

September 26, 2026 1:25 PM

Trump reportedly rejects Iran’s Hormuz proposal; Iraq seeks sanctions exemption for flights

US President Donald Trump has reportedly rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end hostilities in the region, even as Iran awaits an official US response to its plans. An American Newspaper reported on Trump’s views, quoting US officials. Iran had earlier proposed a seven-day process under which hostilities would end on all fronts, while the United States would lift its blockade on Iranian ports, release frozen Iranian funds and waive oil sanctions. The Strait of Hor...

Major Gulf fighting resumes as US and Saudi strike Iran’s allies in Iraq

July 29, 2026 9:21 PM

Major Gulf fighting resumes as US and Saudi strike Iran’s allies in Iraq

The United States and Saudi Arabia jointly struck Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq on Wednesday, the first U.S. airstrikes in the Middle East since President Donald Trump suspended the U.S. bombing campaign against Iran last week. Iran, for its part, rejected an Omani proposal to jointly manage the Strait of Hormuz and said it had fired on ships in the strait and at U.S. bases in Jordan. The renewed combat and diplomatic setbacks pushed oil prices up for the first time since last week, signall...

A funeral ceremony is held in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 22, 2025, for Hac Abu Ali al-Khalil, the Iraqi bodyguard of former Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, along with his son Mehdi al-Khalil and Islamic Resistance leader Haydar al-Mousavi, who were killed in Israeli attacks targeting Iran.

July 29, 2026 5:51 PM

Explainer: Who are Iraq’s Iranian-backed armed groups?

The U.S. and Saudi Arabia have struck Iran-backed Shi'ite armed groups in Iraq, which the allies said were responsible for drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities. The attacks have put the spotlight on the militias that wield enormous political and military power in Iraq. HOW DID THE MILITIAS BECOME INFLUENTIAL IN IRAQ? The Shi'ite groups sprang up as Tehran steadily entrenched itself in Iraqi politics and security matters after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq toppled President Saddam Hussein in ...