Iraq praises US-brokered Iran-Israel ceasefire
In a statement on X, the ministry reaffirmed Iraq's support for diplomatic and peaceful approaches to resolving regional crises, emphasizing the importance of protecting civilians and preventing any further spread of the conflict.
بيان صحفي – وزارة الخارجية العراقية https://t.co/VFP9sJssy3 pic.twitter.com/wrwhTcg8yv
— وزارة الخارجية العراقية (@Iraqimofa) June 24, 2025
Iraq highlighted the critical need for full adherence to the ceasefire, noting its potential to reduce tensions and open the door for renewed dialogue and negotiations.
The statement also extended congratulations to Qatar for its diplomatic efforts in facilitating the agreement, recognizing Doha's role as a contributor to broader regional stability.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Shafaq News
23 minutes ago
- Shafaq News
Her Honor on the Ballot: Iraqi women under attack
Shafaq News Iraqi women stepping into public life—whether as candidates, journalists, or activists—are facing a rising tide of backlash: smear campaigns that weaponize their reputation, morality, and perceived 'honor.' With just three months until the 2025 parliamentary elections, rights advocates warn of a coordinated push to silence and sideline them through digital manipulation, character attacks, and sustained public pressure. These offensives have become faster, louder, and harder to escape. Fueled by manipulated images, AI-generated content, and unchecked social media outrage, they now strike in real time—often with little legal consequence. Morality as a Political Weapon What once circulated as private gossip has shifted into overt strategy. 'There is a dirty campaign by some members of society—even from within the political sphere—against strong women,' observed Lina Ali, a media professional and women's rights advocate, during an interview with Shafaq News. She described these smear efforts as a new form of exclusion—designed to restrict creativity, hinder empowerment, and suppress women's rights to education and work. Ali connected the rise in attacks to the absence of legal deterrents and, crucially, to the weakening of women's protections following recent amendments to Iraq's Personal Status Law. The changes allow Muslim couples to bypass the civil family system in favor of rulings based on sectarian interpretation. Critics argue this shift undermines legal equality in marriage, inheritance, and custody, reinforcing patriarchal norms and giving social stigma—especially 'honor-based' accusations—greater weight. 'The community has become intellectually devastated,' Ali added. In her view, 'true honor lies in dedication to work, honesty, integrity, and love for the homeland.' AI-Enhanced Smear Campaigns Digital technology has changed the scale and sophistication of these efforts. Ansam Salman, Director of the Isen Organization for Human Rights, explained to Shafaq News that smear campaigns now rely on artificial intelligence and image manipulation. 'This is a coordinated male-dominated attack aimed at pushing female candidates out of the race,' she noted. Salman described how falsified narratives are circulated online in the name of morality. While social media has provided space for youth and civil movements, it has also become fertile ground for misinformation—enabling reputational damage to spread quickly, often without accountability. Double Standards Smear campaigns often tap into deeply rooted gender norms. Ruaa Khalaf, a human rights defender, clarified to our agency that in patriarchal societies like Iraq, 'a woman's honor is the most reactive point for public opinion.' That sensitivity, she noted, makes honor-based accusations a potent tool for marginalization. 'When men act inappropriately, the public looks away. When women simply step outside the norm, it becomes a scandal.' Although committees were formed after earlier elections to support female candidates, Khalaf described them as ineffective. 'They existed on paper,' she added, 'but had no meaningful role.' Former MP Rezan Sheikh Dler echoed Khalaf's concerns, attributing the committees' fading relevance to the fact that vilification is sometimes orchestrated from within the government itself or by party leaders aiming to discredit rivals. Political Cost: Fewer Women on the Ballot Shafaq News, citing the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC), shows that only 37 of the 130 candidates nominated by political parties are women. All four independents are men. Iraq's Electoral Law reserves 25% of the 329 parliamentary seats for women, but legal quotas alone have not been enough to counter cultural and technological exclusion. A Law Without Teeth While Iraqi law criminalizes defamation, enforcement remains weak. Helin Hussein, a legal expert, argued to Shafaq News that Article 433 of the Penal Code—which sets penalties ranging from one month to one year in prison, or a fine between five and fifty dinars—does not provide adequate protection. 'Using personal dignity as a weapon to discipline or terrorize women is a form of symbolic and social violence,' she observed. Hussein pointed to the case of Zainab Jawad, a lawyer and activist from the Tishreen movement, who became the subject of an online smear campaign after her arrest by security forces. Known as one of the most outspoken critics of the amendments to the Status Law, Jawad was targeted after activists believed her phone had been accessed and private photos were deliberately leaked. The incident triggered public outrage and was widely viewed as an attempt to intimidate politically active women. 'This is public incitement to violence and must be criminalized both legally and morally,' Hussein added. A Nation's Name on Her Shoulders In Iraq's prevailing cultural landscape, the concept of 'honor' remains tightly bound to women's bodies—while other moral transgressions go largely unchecked. 'Thieves, blackmailers, liars, traitors—even murderers—escape moral condemnation,' noted Awatif Turki Rashid, an advisor on women's affairs, in a statement to our agency. That issue, she warned, imposes a heavy social and psychological toll. Rather than reflecting a shared ethical standard, honor is treated as a personal burden—one that women are expected to carry alone. 'In Iraqi society, the concept is thorny,' she observed, 'because it burdens the woman with responsibility—not just for herself, but for her family, her tribe, and even the reputation of the nation's women.' To shift this dynamic, Rashid recommended comprehensive awareness efforts and legal accountability. In her view, stronger penalties and full enforcement of existing laws are essential to protect women from campaigns designed to damage reputations and silence voices in public life.
Shafaq News
23 minutes ago
- Shafaq News
Iraq's Diyala to tackle water crisis in talks with Iran, Kurdistan
Shafaq News – Diyala The Diyala Provincial Council is set to negotiate with Iran and the Kurdistan Region over water shortage, an Iraqi official announced on Sunday. The Head of Agriculture Committees in the Council, Raad al-Tamimi, revealed in a press conference that Diyala will take measures to mitigate the crisis, forming committees to travel to Garmian in the Kurdistan Region and to neighboring Iran to negotiate on water issues, increase discharges, and boost the province's reserves to meet the needs of residents and farmers He pointed out that the water crisis is worsening day by day across all areas and villages of the province, warning that it will have negative impacts on society and agriculture. Iraq is facing one of its worst water crises in decades, driven by prolonged drought linked to climate change and major upstream dam projects in Turkiye and Iran that have sharply reduced river flows. These cutbacks, which experts say may violate Iraq's right to an equitable water share, have depleted reserves, hit agriculture hard, and forced communities—particularly in southern provinces—to abandon traditional livelihoods.
Shafaq News
3 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Syrian officials and Druze leaders to meet in Jordan
Shafaq News – Damascus Jordan's capital, Amman, is set to host talks between Syrian officials and Druze leaders from Suwayda province, aiming to ease the ongoing unrest in the southern region, Arab media reported on Sunday. Preparations are underway with US Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack coordinating with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, several Arab foreign ministers, and Turkiye's foreign minister. According to Al-Quds Al-Arabi, a US diplomatic source highlighted efforts to secure the attendance of Sheikh Hikmat al-Hajri, Suwayda's main Druze religious leader that opposes the current government, along with elders from prominent Druze families and local faction commanders. It is unclear whether Suleiman Abd al-Baqi and Laith al-Ballous, both close to the Syrian government, will attend. Sheikh al-Hajri's participation is also uncertain, while Syrian Foreign Minister Assad al-Sheibani is not expected to join. Official Syrian representation likely includes Suwayda's internal security chief Ahmed al-Dallati, Daraa's general security chief Shahir Imran, and Suwayda Governor Mustafa al-Bakur. Suwayda, a mainly Druze province in southern Syria, has recently experienced months of protests over economic hardship and political grievances. Clashes between local groups and government forces have left about 1,300 dead.
