Tishwash: Cabinet meeting: Allocations for holding an international conference and recommendations regarding Apple Pay
The Council approved “the special recommendations regarding the activation of global (APPLE PAY) services in Iraq, by adopting the documents required by the parent company, instead of the commercial registration certificate to obtain the trusted license from the Media and Communications Commission, and exempting the company from the provisions of the amended Foreign Companies Branches System (2 of 2017).” link
Tishwash: Washington rejects Iraqi PM’s condition on disarming factions
The US State Department on Wednesday dismissed Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s recent attempt to link the disarmament of armed factions to the future of the US-led Global Coalition in Iraq, urging Baghdad instead to dismantle the “Iran-backed militias.”
Speaking to Shafaq News, the Department’s spokesperson said that addressing “terrorist organizations,” remains an Iraqi sovereign responsibility, stressing that these groups engage in “violent and destabilizing activities in Iraq.”
“Their actions drain the country’s resources and act against its national interests,” the spokesperson added.
Iraq officially recognizes both the national army and the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). While the PMF is legally part of the state’s armed forces, many of its key factions operate under the banner of the “Islamic Resistance in Iraq.” The group is aligned with Iran’s regional “Axis of Resistance,” which includes Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, and positions itself against US and Israeli interests in the region.
Addressing the future of US forces in Iraq, the spokesperson clarified that Washington is proceeding according to an agreed timeline to transition the Global Coalition’s role and conclude its combat operations.
“This is not a withdrawal,” the spokesperson affirmed. “It is a shift toward a more traditional bilateral relationship in the areas of security and diplomacy.”
With around 2,500 US troops still stationed in Iraq, Baghdad and Washington finalized an agreement last month setting a roadmap for the full withdrawal of American forces by September 2026. link
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Tishwash: Reuters predicts Sudani’s victory: He is the favorite to win a second term.
Reuters predicted on Tuesday that Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is the most likely candidate to win a second term .
Reuters published a report, translated by Mail, stating that “Sudan presented himself as the leader who could finally make the country successful after years of instability and moved against the established parties that brought him to power as he seeks a second term .”
She added that “thanks to signs of rising public support ahead of the parliamentary elections scheduled for November 11, the increasingly confident Sudanese is running against key members of a group of parties that initially selected him for the position .”
She noted that “Al-Sudani’s election campaign focuses on improving basic services and presenting himself as the man capable of successfully balancing relations with Washington and Tehran, and he says he expects to win the largest share of seats,” adding that “many analysts agree that Al-Sudani, who has been in power since 2022 and leads the Building and Development Alliance, is the most likely candidate to win a second term .”
She continued, “No single party can form a government on its own in the 329-member Iraqi parliament, so parties must build alliances with other groups to form an administration, a difficult process that often takes several months .”
She noted that “Al-Sudani held many key positions in the Iraqi political system and is the only prime minister after 2003 who never left the country, unlike others who went into exile and then returned, often with new nationalities, after the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein link
