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Iraqi News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Halabja's new dawn: Governorate status brings hope and challenges to the historic city
Baghdad ( – After nearly four decades scarred by the horrific 1988 chemical attack and a subsequent 12-year political struggle, the Iraqi Kurdish city of Halabja has officially become Iraq's 19th governorate, and the fourth within the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region. The Iraqi Parliament's decision in mid-April 2025 grants this city, synonymous with one of the modern era's most heinous crimes, a new administrative status. This is seen by many as long-overdue recognition and a potential catalyst for development, yet it also heralds fresh political and security complexities. The name Halabja is seared into global memory by the Ba'athist regime's chemical bombardment in March 1988, during the final months of the Iran-Iraq war, which killed an estimated 5,000 civilians, mostly women and children, and injured up to 10,000 more. The long-term effects on health and the environment have plagued the city for generations. The journey to governorate status began with a Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) decision in 2013, followed by a KRG parliamentary vote in 2015. However, federal recognition was repeatedly stalled by intricate political bargaining in Baghdad, often linking Halabja's case to demands for creating other new governorates in disputed or ethnically mixed areas like Tel Afar and Tuz Khurmatu. During these years of political limbo, Halabja suffered from economic decline, high unemployment, and significant out-migration as residents sought opportunities elsewhere. The new governorate status unlocks significant potential: dedicated annual budgets, thousands of new administrative and security positions, direct federal allocations for resources like medicine and fuel, and enhanced prospects for investment across various sectors including housing, industry, commerce, entertainment, and vital services. In a groundbreaking development, Ms. Nukhsha Saleh has been appointed as Halabja's governor, making her the first female governor in Iraq's modern history. However, these new entitlements are expected to intensify internal Kurdish political competition. Traditionally, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) holds sway in Erbil and Duhok, while the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) dominates Sulaymaniyah. Halabja, previously administered under Sulaymaniyah, now joins it as a PUK-influenced governorate, potentially recalibrating the power dynamics between the two main Kurdish parties. Furthermore, Halabja's strategic location bordering Iran, with key trade crossings like Shushmi-Tawila and Bashta, positions it as a potential new arena for regional influence—a common feature across Kurdistan, which navigates Turkish military presence and Iranian political interests. Developing its tourist areas will also require careful management to avoid political corruption. The elevation of Halabja to a governorate is undoubtedly a momentous occasion, offering a chance for healing, development, and empowerment. Yet, its future will be shaped by how these new opportunities are managed amidst existing political rivalries and complex security undercurrents. True progress will require genuine commitment from both federal and regional governments, robust local governance, and continued international support to ensure this city of martyrs not only remembers its painful past but builds a resilient and prosperous future, free from the shadows that have long loomed over it. The hope is that Halabja's new beginning truly places it on the map of recovered and thriving cities, rather than entangling it further in escalating power struggles.
Al Manar
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Manar
IRGC: Response to Enemies Will Exceed Imagination
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has declared full readiness to decisively respond to any hostile act, warning that such a response would be beyond the enemy's imagination and shift regional power dynamics. In a statement issued on Saturday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) emphasized that it is continually enhancing its comprehensive readiness on the frontlines against the enemies. The statement emphasized that the IRGC, operating according to the principles established by Islamic Revolution founder Imam Khomeini and guided by Supreme Leader Imam Sayyed Ali Khamenei's directives, 'stands at the peak of strength and readiness.' 1/2🔺 Iran's IRGC: In collaboration with the other armed forces of the country, the IRGC is prepared to respond decisively and beyond imagination to any hostile actions by the enemy. Follow: — Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) May 24, 2025 According to the announcement, the IRGC continuously strengthens its defensive capabilities on all fronts and remains 'trigger-ready' to respond to any hostile action, working in close coordination with other branches of Iran's armed forces. The declaration coincided with the anniversary of Khorramshahr's liberation, a southern Iranian city that was captured during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war initiated under Saddam Hussein. The IRGC highlighted this historical victory as inspiration for today's Iranian youth, suggesting they could achieve similar triumphs in 'multi-dimensional hybrid warfare' through Iran's 'endogenous strength.' The statement stressed that this response would not only deeply regret the delusional aggressors, but also alter the strategic balance of power in favor of the front of righteousness, and to the detriment of the 'Great Satan' [the US] and its proxy Zionist regime in West Asia.
NZ Herald
20-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
China's J10-C jets in spotlight after Pakistan-India conflict
While China pours hundreds of billions of dollars into defence spending each year, it lags far behind the United States as an arms exporter. China's drones are used in counter-terrorism operations, and its weapons have been deployed by Saudi Arabia in Yemen and against rebel forces in African countries, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) senior researcher Siemon Wezeman told AFP. 'But this is the first time since the 1980s that a state has used large numbers of Chinese weapons of many types in action against another state,' said Wezeman, referencing the Iran-Iraq war when they were used on both sides. 'Primary option' Pakistan accounts for around 63% of China's arms exports, according to conflict and arms-research institute SIPRI. In the recent fighting, Pakistan used the J10-C Vigorous Dragon and JF-17 Thunder planes, armed with air-to-air missiles. It was the first time the J10-C has been used in active combat, said the Stimson Centre's Yun Sun. Islamabad's air defences also used Chinese kit – including the HQ-9P long-range surface-to-air missile system – and deployed Chinese radar as well as armed and reconnaissance drones. 'This was the first sustained fight where the bulk of Pakistan's forces used Chinese weapons and, basically, relied on them as their primary option,' said Bilal Khan, founder of the Toronto-based Quwa Defence News & Analysis Group. India has not officially confirmed any of its aircraft were lost, although a senior security source told AFP three jets had crashed on home soil, without giving the make or cause. Rafale maker Dassault has also not commented. The Rafale is considered one of Europe's most high-tech jets, while the J10-C 'is not even China's most advanced', said James Char from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University. But if Pakistan's claims are true, 'this should not be surprising... considering that the Rafale is a multi-role fighter, whereas the J-10C was built for aerial combat and is also equipped with a stronger radar,' Char said. The Chinese air defence systems, however, 'do not appear to have been as effective as the Pakistan Air Force would have hoped', said Quwa's Khan, after India said it had neutralised one near the eastern border city of Lahore. If true, said SIPRI's Wezeman, that 'would be a bigger success and more than balance the loss of some aircraft in the process'. 'Significant reorientation' In the days after the dogfight reports, J10-C maker Chengdu Aircraft Company's stock soared over 40%. 'We most likely will see more orders going to Chinese contractors,' said the Stimson Centre's Sun. However, 'it will take time and significant reorientation by Chinese arms manufacturers for the country to be a big arms exporter', said Jennifer Kavanagh from the US think tank Defence Priorities. She noted that China 'cannot mass-produce certain key inputs, including aircraft engines'. Wezeman said he thought the stock markets 'overreacted', as 'we still have to see how well all the weapons used worked and if it really means much'. Even if more data emerges, the conflict still does not reveal much about the Chinese military's own capabilities, the analysts said. China's own systems and weapons are much more advanced than what it exports. And while having high-tech hardware is important, 'much more important is how those weapons are used', said Kavanagh. Brian Hart of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies said he would caution against 'reading too much' into recent developments. 'I don't think you can make direct comparisons to how these Chinese-made systems would fare in different environments against more advanced adversaries like the United States,' he explained. 'Since the number of data points is small and since we don't know much about the proficiency and training of the personnel on either side, it is hard to draw definitive conclusions.'
Shafaq News
18-05-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraq's debt "very safe" below 33% of GDP
Shafaq News/ Iraq's total public debt remains below 33% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), securing a low-risk standing in global credit rankings, an Iraqi official confirmed Friday. Speaking to Shafaq News, Mazhar Mohammed Saleh, financial adviser to the prime minister, noted that Iraq wiped out nearly $100 billion in legacy foreign debt through the 2004 Paris Club agreement, most linked to pre-1990 conflicts under the former regime. The remaining debt was restructured over two decades, with the final installment—a $2.7 billion bond—due for full repayment by 2028. During the war against ISIS, Iraq borrowed about $12 billion to support its national budget. The majority of these loans, especially those from the International Monetary Fund, have been repaid. In the coming four years, Iraq must repay $9 billion in external debt. A similar amount, mainly from international development funds, is dedicated to rebuilding areas liberated from conflict. External debt currently represents roughly 8% of GDP, which Saleh described as 'very safe.' Domestic public debt totals 85 trillion Iraqi dinars (around $65 billion), with half held in the Central Bank of Iraq's investment portfolio and the remainder mostly with state-owned banks or issued as bonds and treasury bills. Saleh attributed this accumulation to three significant downturns in oil revenues over recent years. Internal debt, however, makes up about 25% of GDP. Combined with external obligations, Iraq's total public debt stays below 33%—well under the widely accepted 60% threshold for sustainable debt levels. Saleh also highlighted an unresolved $40 billion in debt dating to the Iran-Iraq war that remains unsettled despite the 2004 Paris Club deal. These 'odious debts,' owed to eight countries, are expected to be written off by at least 80% under the agreement, pending verification.
Deccan Herald
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
Iran wants to learn from India's cheetah revival efforts: RTI
Despite receiving legal protection in the 1960s, the cheetahs in Iran have continued to face threats due to a decline in their primary prey species, habitat loss and fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, especially after the Iranian revolution of 1979 and the Iran-Iraq war.
