Tishwash: Iraq’s parliament to hold emergency Sunday session on regional security
Iraq’s Council of Representatives announced it will hold an evening session Sunday to discuss recent security developments in Iraq and the region, as the country faces escalating tensions following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.
The session is scheduled for 9 p.m. and will include discussion of “recent security challenges in Iraq and the region,” along with a vote on members of permanent parliamentary committees. link
Tishwash: Attempts to storm the US embassy in Baghdad and violent clashes in front of the Green Zone
The Iraqi capital, Baghdad, witnessed a dangerous escalation on the ground today, Sunday, March 1, 2026, following the influx of crowds of demonstrators towards the fortified Green Zone, where violent clashes broke out with the security forces tasked with protecting the diplomatic and sovereign headquarters.
Field reports indicate that hundreds of protesters attempted to storm the US embassy compound in Baghdad, expressing their anger over the joint US-Israeli attack on Iran. Security forces are working to prevent the demonstrators from breaching the concrete barriers and reaching the embassy grounds, amidst an unprecedented atmosphere of security tension.
These disturbances in Baghdad coincide with a series of rapidly unfolding events that have swept through the region in recent hours, most notably:
Erbil Airport Targeted: The “Saraya Awliya al-Dam” group claimed responsibility for a suicide drone attack targeting US military bases at Erbil International Airport, in retaliation for what it described as attacks on sovereignty.
Leadership Vacuum in Iran: Tehran officially announced the martyrdom of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and a number of military commanders and advisors in the “Epic Wrath” attack, and initiated procedures for the transfer of power under Article 111 of the Iranian Constitution.
Popular and Diplomatic Reactions: The “banner of revenge” was raised above the dome of the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, and demonstrations took place in Nasiriyah, while US President Donald Trump stated that reaching a diplomatic solution was now “easier.”
A state of high alert prevails among the Iraqi armed forces and diplomatic missions, awaiting developments in the coming hours amidst calls for de-escalation and others for further escalation on the ground. link
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Tishwash: Barak told the Sudanese about Trump’s plan: mid-next week, followed by sanctions.
A source within Al Jazeera’s coordination framework revealed on Friday an American warning related to Iraqi political entitlements. The source stated that US envoy Tom Barrack informed the Iraqi Prime Minister that Washington might impose sanctions if Nouri al-Maliki is nominated for a high-ranking political position.
The source indicated that the potential US sanctions on Iraq may be announced in the middle of next week, and will initially target figures loyal to Iran, before later including leaders in the coordination framework.
US President’s envoy Tom Barrack made his second visit to Iraq in less than a week. During his first visit, he met with four political leaders, none of whom included Nouri al-Maliki, the prime ministerial candidate nominated by the Coordination Framework.
In today’s visit, Barrack met with al-Maliki, in addition to two separate meetings with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and the head of the Supreme Judicial Council, Faiq Zaidan. Al-Maliki’s office did not mention any sanctions or rejection of al-Maliki’s nomination in the statement it distributed to the media after the meeting with Barrack.
Al-Sudani’s statement was limited to mentioning a review of views on solving the region’s problems and Iraq’s pivotal role in building stability and promoting regional development. link
Tishwash: Trump praises Barack’s role: He’s doing a good job in Iraq
On Friday, US President Donald Trump praised the performance of his special envoy, Tom Barrack, in Iraq, coinciding with a series of meetings the US envoy held with a number of officials in the capital, Baghdad, during his second visit in a week.
Trump stated in remarks reported by the media that “Tom Barrack is doing a good job in Iraq.”
This praise came after Tom Barrack met on Friday with the outgoing Iraqi Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, to discuss bilateral relations between Iraq and the United States, the general situation and developments in the region, and the importance of sparing Iraq from their repercussions, according to a statement from al-Sudani’s office.
This meeting came after the US envoy met with Nouri al-Maliki, head of the State of Law Coalition and the coordinating framework’s candidate for the Iraqi premiership.
A statement from al-Maliki’s office said that during the meeting with Tom Barrack, he stressed the importance of “supporting the democratic process and strengthening political stability, emphasizing the need to respect Iraq’s sovereignty and the choices of its people, while the continuation of communication and coordination between the two sides on files of common interest was emphasized.”
The head of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Faiq Zaidan, also discussed with US Special Envoy Tom Barrack on Friday the role of the judiciary in supporting efforts to complete the remaining constitutional requirements during the next phase.
This is the second meeting of its kind in a week, amid a major escalation in the region, especially the American threats to strike Iran.
Last Sunday, Barak met in Baghdad with caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, before moving to Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan Region, where he met with Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, and Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. link
