Tishwash: Iraq extends airspace closure again by 72 hours
2026-03-07 | 13:49
BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority on Saturday extended the country’s airspace closure for another 72 hours, keeping it shut to all incoming, outgoing and transit flights until noon Tuesday.
The authority cited “the continued assessment of the security situation and regional developments,” adding that the measure would be reviewed in line with new developments and that airlines would be notified of any updates.
Iraq has kept its airspace closed since last Saturday following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran and subsequent Iranian missile and drone launches across the region. The closure was previously extended for 24 hours, then 48 hours, before Saturday’s 72-hour extension.
Tishwash: The Tehran stock market is closed until further notice.
Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madani Zadeh announced on Saturday, March 7, that the stock market will remain closed until further notice, based on a decision issued by the Supreme Council of the Stock Exchange.
It is worth noting that the Iranian government announced last week the suspension of all administrative and economic activities in the country following the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and this suspension was scheduled to continue until Sunday, March 8. link
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Tishwash: Al-Shammari: Most of the forces within the Coordination Framework withdrew their nomination of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, with the exception of two parties.
MP Kazem al-Shammari, from the Services Bloc, confirmed that most of the forces within the Coordination Framework have withdrawn their support for former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, with the exception of only two entities that still back his candidacy.
He indicated that the Framework currently lacks a “big father figure” capable of managing disputes and proposing initiatives. link
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Tishwash: Sudani ally reads Maliki tweet as ‘withdrawal’ from premiership race
2026-03-07 | 23:35
BAGHDAD — A senior ally of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said Saturday that a recent tweet by former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki amounts to a de facto withdrawal from the race for the premiership — a significant shift after weeks in which Maliki had resisted pressure to step aside.
Bahaa al-Araji, head of Sudani’s Reconstruction and Development bloc in parliament, said on Al-Sharqiya TV that he interpreted Maliki’s message as stepping back from the nomination.
“I read Mr. Maliki’s tweet, in which he called on the next government to follow an independent national approach away from political axes. This represents a withdrawal from the nomination for the position of prime minister, and he should be thanked for that under the current circumstances,” Araji said, adding that the tweet “reflected the position of a statesman and a leader who understands the situation in all its details.”
Araji also said the Coordination Framework’s most recent meeting reflected a shift away from Maliki’s candidacy. “Its leaders reached a consensus that it would be difficult to proceed with Mr. Maliki’s nomination,” he said.
He positioned Sudani as the dominant figure in the current political moment. “Sudani is no longer just a candidate. Today, Sudani is the decisive figure at this stage. Who among the other candidates can reach an understanding with both the United States and Iran at the same time?”
Araji also noted his bloc’s parliamentary weight in ongoing negotiations, saying its 50-odd seats entitle it to five ministries.
In the March 5 tweet, Maliki wrote that Iraq “must be an effective balancing element in its regional environment” and called for an “independent national approach that does not engage in axes” — language Araji interpreted as a signal of withdrawal.
Maliki’s candidacy had become an increasingly awkward standoff within the Coordination Framework. After being nominated following the 2025 elections, he faced mounting pressure to stand down but refused to withdraw, repeatedly absenting himself from Framework meetings rather than formally conceding — leaving the alliance in the position of having to either force him out or proceed with a nominee that Washington had publicly rejected. U.S. President Donald Trump warned that Washington could reconsider its support for Iraq if Maliki became prime minister, and the Foreign Ministry said the U.S. message included an “explicit hint” of sanctions.
