Latest news with #Pro-Iran
Shafaq News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
From Iran's fire to Iraq's streets: US strike raises war stakes
Shafaq News/ A sudden American military intervention has added a new layer of complexity to the escalating war between Israel and Iran—one whose consequences will become clearer with Iran's anticipated response. The US airstrikes, launched early Sunday on Iranian nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, raised fears of a broader regional war that could engulf neighboring countries, including Iraq. President Donald Trump described the strikes as "spectacular military success,' while Tehran condemned them as 'a blatant act of aggression and a violation of international law,' vowing retaliation. As the region braces for Iran's next move, analysts warn that the trajectory of the conflict now hinges on the scale and nature of that response—whether it remains calculated or ignites open confrontation. Iraq: Neutral No More? In Baghdad, the escalation has triggered alarm. First Deputy Head of the Iraqi Parliament's Security and Defense Committee, Karim Abu Souda, urged a firm policy of nonalignment. ' Iraq has no role in the war between Israel and our neighbor Iran,' he told Shafaq News. 'It's vital to stay out of this to protect our stability and avoid turning the country into a battlefield.' Yet that neutrality is under pressure. Politician Aed al-Hilali warned that US involvement risks dragging Iraq into the fray. 'We're standing at a dangerous crossroads,' he expressed to our agency. 'The [Iraqi pro-Iranian] armed factions ' threats are not mere statements. They indicate the real possibility of Iraq becoming a frontline in this escalating conflict.' About 2,500 American troops remain deployed in Iraq under the mandate of supporting Iraqi forces and the Global Coalition against ISIS. Pro-Iran Groups Monitor US Role While some factions in Iraq have stayed silent, others have hinted at readiness to act. Sheikh Kazem al-Fartousi, spokesperson for Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, declined to comment on the US strikes but affirmed Iran's right to defend itself. 'The war hasn't stopped,' he told Shafaq News. From Yemen, Ansarallah (Houthis) political bureau member Abdullah Mohammed al-Naami confirmed unwavering support for Tehran. 'Since day one, we've stood with Iran,' he said in an interview with our agency. 'If the US throws itself into the fight, we're prepared to strike American warships in the Red Sea.' Al-Naami argued that Tehran and its allies are responding to aggression, not provoking it. 'The Axis is acting in self-defense. The decision to end this war lies with the aggressor.' All Eyes on Iran International relations analyst Hussein Shaito believes Washington intended the strikes to demonstrate action without triggering a point of no return. 'The US aimed to show it was curbing Iran's enrichment efforts, but avoided destroying the facilities completely to leave room for diplomacy,' he shared with our agency. Washington, Shaito added, likely anticipates a limited Iranian response—perhaps targeting US naval assets or regional bases. 'The scope of Iran's retaliation will determine whether the situation spirals further.' Ahmed al-Yasiri, Head of the Australian Arab Center for Strategic Studies, echoed that view. 'The US strike has deepened the crisis. Whether it becomes a regional war depends entirely on Iran's response,' he noted in remarks to Shafaq News. 'If Iran hits US bases or shuts key maritime routes — the Strait of Hormuz or Bab al-Mandeb — the conflict will explode. For now, though, it's still under control.' The Strait channels 18 to 19 million barrels of oil, condensates, and fuel daily—nearly a fifth of global consumption—alongside around 11 billion cubic feet of liquefied natural gas. Any disruption would rattle global markets, inflate shipping costs, and deepen energy insecurity worldwide.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'No Surrender, Will Fight U.S.': Iran, Iraq Erupt In Rage Against Trump; Boost For Khamenei Regime
'Revenge For Iran': Houthi Rebels End Ceasefire With Trump, U.S. Ships To Burn In Red Sea Next? Yemen-based Houthi rebels indicated an end to the ceasefire with the United States after its strike on Iran's nuclear facilities on June 22. Pro-Iran Houthis said that it will officially enter war with the United States and Israel and also threatened to attack their ships in the Red Sea. Watch this video to know more. 1.8K views | 2 hours ago
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
'Revenge For Iran': Houthi Rebels End Ceasefire With Trump, U.S. Ships To Burn In Red Sea Next?
/ Jun 23, 2025, 11:09AM IST Yemen-based Houthi rebels indicated an end to the ceasefire with the United States after its strike on Iran's nuclear facilities on June 22. Pro-Iran Houthis said that it will officially enter war with the United States and Israel and also threatened to attack their ships in the Red Sea. Watch this video to know more.
France 24
23-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
Palestinian faction chiefs quit Damascus amid pressure: faction sources
A pro-Iran Palestinian faction leader who left Syria after Assad's December overthrow said on condition of anonymity that "most of the Palestinian factional leadership that received support from Tehran has left Damascus" to countries including Lebanon, while another still based there confirmed the development. "The factions have fully handed over weapons in their headquarters or with their cadres" to the authorities, who also received "lists of names of faction members possessing individual weapons" and demanded that those arms be handed over, the first added. A third Palestinian faction source in Damascus said that after Assad's overthrow, "we gathered our members' weapons ourselves and handed them over, but we have kept individual light weapons for protection... with the (authorities') authorisation". In the Yarmuk Palestinian camp in the Damascus suburbs which was devastated during the war, factional banners usually at the entrance were gone and party buildings were closed and unguarded, AFP photographers said. Factional premises elsewhere in Damascus also appeared closed. 'No cooperation' Many Palestinians fled to Syria in 1948 following the creation of Israel, and from the mid-1960s Syria began hosting the leadership of Palestinian factions. Pro-Iran Palestinian factions had enjoyed considerable freedom of movement under Assad. Washington, which considers several Palestinian factions to be "terrorist" organisations, last week announced it was lifting sanctions on Syria after earlier saying Damascus needed to respond to demands including suppressing "terrorism" and preventing "Iran and its proxies from exploiting Syrian territory". According to the White House, during a meeting in Saudi Arabia last week, US President Donald Trump gave new Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa a list of demands that included deporting "Palestinian terrorists". The factions along with groups from Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen are part of the Iran-backed "axis of resistance" against Israel, some of which fought alongside Assad's forces after civil war erupted in 2011. In neighbouring Lebanon, a government official told AFP that the disarmament of Palestinian camps, where factions usually handle security, would begin next month based on an accord with visiting Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas. Sharaa's Islamist group led the offensive that ousted Assad, a close ally of Iran. Last month, Sharaa met Abbas on a visit to Damascus. The factions "did not receive any official request from the authorities to leave Syrian territory" but instead faced restrictions, the first Palestinian factional leader said, noting that some factions "were de facto prohibited from operating" or their members were arrested. 'Unwelcome' The new authorities have seized property from "private homes, offices, vehicles and military training camps in the Damascus countryside and other provinces", he said. The Syrian authorities did not immediately provide comment to AFP when asked about the matter. Earlier this month, officials from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) said Syrian authorities briefly detained factional chief Talal Naji. In April, the Al-Quds Brigades said Islamic Jihad's Syria official Khaled Khaled and organising committee member Yasser al-Zafri had been detained "without explanation". A source from the movement told AFP on Friday that they were still detained. The second Palestinian official, from a group that has remained in Damascus with limited representation, said there was "no cooperation between most of the Palestinian factions and the new Syrian administration". "The response to our contact is mostly cold or delayed. We feel like unwelcome guests, though they don't say that clearly," he added, also requesting anonymity. The Fatah movement and militant group Hamas appear to be unaffected. A Hamas official in Gaza told AFP that it had "channels of communication with our brothers in Syria". Hamas left after the civil war began as ties with the government deteriorated amid the Palestinian group's support for opposition demands, and has minimal representation there.
Shafaq News
02-04-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraq 'first to suffer': A scenario following Trump's strike on Iran
Shafaq News/ As the United States ramps up its military threats against Iran over its nuclear program and continues its "maximumpressure" strategy with economic sanctions, experts warn that Iraq could be one of the main victims of the escalating crisis. The danger for Iraq is that it could become involved in military operations, leading to serious security consequences. Pro-Iran armed forces mainly those under the umbrella of the Axis of Resistance, could target US interests within Iraq, and the Iraqi government may struggle to control these actions if military strikes are launched. This would not be the first such move. From October 2023 to nearly February 2024, these forces carried out operations against US bases in Iraq and Syria in solidarity with Gaza. However, the attacks were later halted without explanation. Observers suggest that Iraq faced US pressure and was warned of severe consequences if the operations continued. Beyond security risks, Iraq's economy is also under strain, particularly due to its heavy reliance on Iranian gas and electricity imports. With the US halting Iraq's sanctions exemption, the country now faces the prospect of an energy crisis. Last month, Washington declined to renew a waiver that had allowed Baghdad to purchase electricity from Iran without violating US sanctions. Despite Iraq's vast oil and gas reserves, years of war, corruption, and mismanagement have left it struggling with chronic power shortages, making it heavily dependent on Iranian energy imports. While a US embassy statement claimed that electricity imports from Iran account for only 4% of Iraq's total consumption, Iraqi Electricity Ministry spokesperson Ahmad Moussa warned that if gas imports are also cut off, Iraq could lose more than 30% of its electricity supply. The government, he added, is now exploring alternative solutions. Iraq's oil-dependent economy is further at risk if any instability in the Gulf or the Strait of Hormuz disrupts oil exports, particularly to China. Such disruptions could cause a significant decline in national income. Experts agree that the region is on the edge of a potential "security and military collapse," which would hit Iraq hard, especially as the country remains a battleground for the competing US and Iranian influences. This puts Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's government in a precarious position, faced with 'difficult choices.' Signs of Escalation Strategic expert Ahmad Al-Sharifi notes that the US positioning at the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean is a strong indicator that the chances of war are increasing. He believes that 'US escalation against Iran is shifting from targeting militias to striking deeper Iranian assets,' with Iraq potentially becoming the next focus after operations in Yemen. He explains to Shafaq News that once the US neutralizes Houthis's ability to disrupt shipping in the Red Sea, the next phase could involve targeting Iraqi militias aligned with Iran. In recent weeks, the US has intensified its attacks on the Houthi movement in Yemen, linking their actions to Iranian support, although Iran denies this connection. Meanwhile, the Houthis have escalated attacks on US naval vessels, including repeated strikes on the USS Harry S. Truman. The possibility of Iraq being drawn into the US-Iran conflict is growing, especially given the alignment of Iraqi factions with Iran. Al-Sharifi believes this scenario would economically harm Iraq, disrupt energy supplies, and destabilize its economic activity, warning that 'if war breaks out, Iraq will struggle to meet its payroll obligations due to disruptions in oil exports through the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.' Tough Choices for Iraq Al-Sharifi concludes that Iraq's government is at a crossroads, having to decide whether to align with the US or Iran or to maintain a neutral position. Since President Donald Trump's second term began, the US has increasingly imposed demands on Iraq, including placing several Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) leaders on terrorist lists and ending Iraq's exemption to buy Iranian gas for electricity generation. Iraq - Iran Relations This move is expected to cause significant electricity shortages in the coming summer. Political analyst Aaed al-Hilali expresses concern that escalating tensions between the US and Iran could strain Iraq's relationship with Iran. He points out that Iraq currently finds itself caught between the two powers, trying to mediate dialogue between them. However, US President Trump's 'more aggressive' approach toward Iran is causing alarm in Baghdad, as the consequences of the crisis are likely to spill over into Iraq. Al-Hilali predicts that the US will not remain passive and will respond to any attacks on its interests, highlighting that Iran is unlikely to stay quiet, with threats to retaliate against US bases in the Indian Ocean. This could have disastrous consequences for the region, affecting more than just Iran. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf has threatened to target US military bases in neighboring countries if any military action is launched against Iran from those locations. Meanwhile, Ali Larijani, a senior advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, warned that Tehran could pursue the development of a nuclear bomb "under the pressure of the people" if the United States were to launch a military strike against the country. He also warns that Iraq's economic ties to Iran, especially for gas and electricity, would be jeopardized if Iran suffered major destruction. Iraq "first to suffer" In this regard, Nizar Haider, a political figure based in Washington, believes Iraq will be the first to suffer if the US-Iran crisis escalates into full-scale conflict. He argues that Iraq has failed to achieve political or economic independence, particularly in areas like the dollar, gas, and electricity imports. Haider adds that Iraq could face a severe security crisis if any militia faction acts recklessly, even something as minor as firing a bullet into the air, given the heightened tensions, stressing that Iraq must be cautious to avoid being drawn into the conflict under the pretext of self-defense or slogans like 'support' or 'unity of fronts.' Haider also notes that Iraq remains under significant US influence and lacks the military capacity to protect itself if it were drawn into a conflict with the US He points to recent months, where Iraq narrowly avoided damage from Israeli aggression thanks to US intervention. Meanwhile, On Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the deployment of additional military assets to the Middle East amid heightened tensions with Iran, the chief Pentagon spokesman said. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group will be joined by the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group to "continue promoting regional stability, deter aggression, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region," Sean Parnell said in a statement. Additionally, Parnell said the Nimitz Strike Group has begun its deployment to the Western Pacific to preserve the US's warfighting advantage in the Indo-Pacific. Military expert Alaa al-Nashou shares Haider's view, emphasizing that Iraq lacks the military strength to face the US, 'the world's most powerful military force.' He concludes that any attempt to side with Iran against the US would likely lead to 'Iraq's defeat.'
