US reviews Iraq radar deal and PM's warning over strained ties
The US Department of State is reviewing recent statements by Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and reports that Baghdad plans to accelerate a radar system agreement with South Korea, a spokesperson confirmed to Shafaq News on Wednesday.
Tammy Bruce, spokesperson for the State Department, said the Prime Minister's remarks and the radar procurement reports are under assessment. 'The Department will review the Prime Minister's comments and the reported acceleration of the radar agreement with Seoul,' she stated.
Bruce added that Washington would share its official position with Shafaq News within hours.
The comments follow recent developments in Baghdad's defense policy, with Iraqi lawmakers confirming that negotiations are underway with several countries— including the United States, France, and South Korea— to acquire advanced air defense and radar systems.
According to parliamentary sources, the discussions aim to enhance Iraq's airspace protection amid rising regional tensions.
In a recent interview with the BBC, Prime Minister al-Sudani reiterated Iraq's commitment to balanced foreign relations, emphasizing that both Iran and the United States recognize the importance of Iraq's stability. However, he acknowledged persistent disagreements with Washington, warning that tensions 'could reach the point of undermining the relationship.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Iraqi News
an hour ago
- Iraqi News
Kurdish militants in Iraqi Kurdistan to hand over weapons
Baghdad ( – In a step toward disarmament within a peace process, the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) declared on Thursday that its fighters in northern Iraq will begin giving over their weapons. According to a statement released by the PKK, a group of militants will leave the mountains and surrender their weapons in an attempt to demonstrate their support for democratic politics and peace. According to the statement, a ceremony scheduled between July 10 and 12 in the city of Sulaymaniyah in the Kurdistan region of Iraq will mark the first tangible step toward disarmament. The PKK announced a ceasefire with Turkey earlier in 2025 in response to a call from its leader, Abdullah Ocalan, who is presently serving a life sentence, to dismantle and disarm the organization. In late February, the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs hailed the call made by Ocalan to his party to lay down arms. The ministry viewed this endeavor as a critical step in improving security throughout the region, not just in Iraq, where PKK fighters are active in various parts of Iraqi Kurdistan and a few other places. Turkey, the United States, and the European Union have all labeled the PKK, which has been fighting for decades, as a terrorist organization. The party's choice to dissolve is an important milestone in regional geopolitics and may alleviate long-standing tensions, particularly in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, where PKK members have remained.
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Trump poised for Gaza deal during Netanyahu visit
Shafaq News – Middle East Israeli officials said Thursday that US President Donald Trump could announce a proposed prisoner exchange deal with Hamas during his upcoming meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington next week. According to anonymous officials cited by a Hebrew newspaper, Hamas has not yet formally accepted the American proposal, but its response could open the door to 'direct or close-range negotiations.' They added that Trump is exerting pressure on Qatar, Hamas's key backer, to push the group toward acceptance — even if a final agreement is not immediately reached. 'The deal is making progress,' one Israeli official said, though he acknowledged obstacles remain, particularly concerning the list of Palestinian detainees that Hamas wants released. 'Hamas will continue to fight over the names — what is referred to as the 'keys' — as is customary in such negotiations,' he added. In parallel, six members of the Israeli Knesset from the ruling coalition — including lawmakers from Netanyahu's Likud party — sent a letter to the prime minister and his cabinet urging a complete defeat of Hamas and the imposition of full Israeli sovereignty over Gaza. The lawmakers warned that any deal that does not include the total dismantling of Hamas poses an 'existential threat to Israel.' They stressed they would 'not approve any solution that does not amount to a decisive victory,' signaling strong opposition to ceasefire or interim arrangements. Despite this internal dissent, government officials close to Netanyahu said the prime minister remains determined to secure a deal at any cost, viewing the current political moment as 'rare and historic.' In closed-door discussions, Netanyahu reportedly said, 'We now have fantastic political opportunities that come only once in a generation.' According to the source, these statements reflect Netanyahu's growing inclination to end the war in Gaza entirely, rather than resume military operations — especially as regional talks appear to be gaining momentum. There is increasing speculation about a broader set of regional deals involving Saudi Arabia, Syria, and possibly other countries.
Shafaq News
2 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Kurdistan accuses Baghdad of systematic discrimination
Shafaq News – Erbil A senior official in the Kurdish government (KRG) accused the federal government in Baghdad on Thursday of systematically stripping the Region's citizens of their basic rights over the past three years, describing the ongoing salary crisis as only one aspect of broader political and economic injustices. In a statement, the official said it was 'regrettable' that public sector salaries in Kurdistan had become a tool of political pressure. He characterized Baghdad's approach as a deliberate strategy of impoverishment and a flagrant violation of the Iraqi constitution, aimed at undermining the dignity of Kurdish citizens and deepening national divisions. The official cited figures to illustrate the shortfall in financial transfers. In 2023, the federal government sent only 4.698T IQD (about $3.5B) to the Region—representing just 28.5% of what was owed. In 2024, that figure rose to 10.026T IQD (about $7.6B), covering 47.9% of entitlements. So far in 2025, only 3.829T IQD (about $3B) have been received, which accounts for just 18.3% of the Region's 20.910T IQD (about $15.9B) entitlement. According to the KRG, no less than one trillion dinars should be transferred each month. However, the salary issue is only one part of what the official described as a larger pattern of federal discrimination. Since 2014, the KRG has been barred from hiring new public employees, while Baghdad added more than a million to the federal payroll in a single year. Despite multiple agreements to resume oil exports from the Kurdistan Region, Baghdad has continued to obstruct shipments, while allowing illegal oil flows to proceed elsewhere in the country. The Region's border crossings and internal revenues have also been targeted, with trade movements restricted and local economies undermined. Kurdistan-produced goods, both agricultural and industrial, are being blocked from export, and subject to customs tariffs the KRG deems illegal. The official added that the Region is being denied access to medical supplies and equipment, even though more than 40% of patients in its hospitals come from outside Kurdistan. Furthermore, Baghdad has reportedly excluded the Region from international loans and humanitarian assistance. Even visits by UN agencies and NGOs have been restricted. Salaries and support for the Kurdish Peshmerga forces—recognized as part of Iraq's national defense—have been cut. Aid for refugees and displaced persons within Kurdistan has also been blocked, as has access to assistance from global organizations. The official also noted discrimination in agricultural support policies, pointing to Baghdad's restrictions on wheat purchases from Kurdish farmers, even as it subsidizes growers elsewhere and imports wheat from abroad at significant cost. He concluded by calling for a 'brave national stance' to correct what he described as a dangerous imbalance. 'All Iraqis must respect the constitution and recognize the Kurdistan Region's rights as a federal entity,' he said. 'Kurdistanis must not be treated as second-class citizens. Weakening the Region does not strengthen Iraq—it weakens the entire country.'
