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Iraqi PM: KRG Must Hand Over Airports by Friday or Face International Air Embargo

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Iraqi PM: KRG Must Hand Over Airports by Friday or Face International Air Embargo

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Iraqi forces watching border from Turkish territory          

Reacting to Masoud Barzani, the head of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)’s defiant attitude sticking for “ending ties with Baghdad,” Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has, on Tuesday, threatened to impose international air embargo if he does not hand over control of its airports in Erbil and Sulaymaniyah within three days.

Iraqi Prime Minister, while addressing his weekly press conference in Baghdad, said international flights to and from the Kurdish region would be suspended in three days. Precisely, KRG has until 3:00 pm local time (12:00 GMT) on Friday to transfer control of the airports to the Iraqi government.

Abadi reiterated that Baghdad would not negotiate with Kurdish authorities about the results of the provocative and “unconstitutional” referendum saying that whole nation would suffer from its repercussions.

Iraqi prime minister alleged corruption among the Kurdish leaders saying that the revenues collected from exporting the region’s oil had been transferred to personal bank accounts abroad. He also criticized the Kurdish authorities for not paying salaries to  the employees and workers in the region despite taking some 25 percent of country’s oil revenues.

Iraq’s central government called on all countries to stop direct flights to the international airports of Erbil, the capital of KRG and Sulaymaniyah last week. However only Iran has complied with Baghdad’s suggestion by halting direct flights to the region and also closing its air space for the flights originating from or destined to the Kurdish region. Iran had also threatened to stop trading through its borders with Iraqi Kurdish region.

Meanwhile, Masoud Barzani, in a televised address on Tuesday, urged Baghdad to engage in “serious dialogue instead of threatening.”  He said, “I call on Mr. Haider al-Abadi and the others not to close the door to dialogue, because it is dialogue that will solve problems.” He further said, “We assure the international community of our willingness to engage in dialogue with Baghdad.”

He was quoted saying, “We may face hardship, but we will overcome.” Barzani urged the world powers “to respect the will of millions of people” who voted in the referendum and adding that the “Yes” vote had won in the plebiscite.

According to Kurdish authorities, the turnout in the independence referendum was 76 percent, with 3.3 million of the total 4.58 million registered voters having participated in the exercise.

Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) was groomed during 12 years of UN sanctions imposed against Saddam Hussein regime after Gulf war-one triggered after Baghdad chose to invade and occupy Kuwait in 1990. Iraqi Kurds were getting 16 percent of country’s oil revenue directly through UN agencies till 2003, the fall of Saddam regime.

The Peshmarga military force, the official army of Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) is also headed by the President of Iraqi Kurdisan. It is responsible for the security of the region through its subsidiaries: official intelligence agency, assisting intelligence agency, anti terror agency and military force.

The Iraqi Kurdish border with Turkey is manned by Peshmarga. Therefore Baghdad chose to participate in joint military drill with Turkish forces on the other side of the border. This is peculiar situation where official army of the central government is forced to guard its border from the territories of neighbouring country.

The independence referendum was held on Monday in open defiance of Baghdad and much to the consternation of the international community warning it could most likely create more trouble in the country engaged in fight against Daesh terrorists.

On Monday, Iraqi Defence Minister had announced that its armed forces had begun large scale military drills with Turkish army along the common border.

On Monday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would seal the Turkish border with the Iraqi Kurdish region over the controversial referendum and threatened for blocking their key oil exports.

On Tuesday, Erdogan said that Ankara would consider all options, including economic sanctions and military measures and warned that Iraqi Kurds would go hungry if Turkey decided to stop flow of trucks and oil across its border with northern Iraq.

On September 18, one week before the referendum, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres had urged Iraq’s Kurdish leaders to scrap the vote saying it would undermine the ongoing battle against IS(Daesh).

Meanwhile, J. Michaeal Springmann, former US diplomat in Saudi Arabia, has told Tehran based Press TV on Tuesday that US and Israel have vast influence in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region and have great interest in the secession of Kurdistan from Iraq.

He said that “US encourages the Kurds to rebel against the government of Iraq”. He was quoted saying, “The United States and Israel have been doing their best for quite some time now to divide Iraq.”

“What they’ve got now is a holy partnership between the United States of America, the Kurds and Israel,” he said. The US diplomat further said, “Israel has great investment, great control and great influence in northern Iraq. They are looking at it as part of Greater Israel.”

Springmann was the head of American visa bureau in Jeddah from 1987 to 1989. Information available at Wikipedia says that he was “ordered by high level State Department officials to issue visas to unqualified applicants”. He states that these applicants were terrorist recruits of Osama Bin laden, who were being sent to the US in order to obtain training from CIA.

Kurdish people are ethnic group spread in the Middle East spanning in the south-eastern Turkey, north-western Iran, northern Iraq and northern Syria. Their total population is approximately 30 million. The governments of Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria have been opposing establishment of an independent Kurdistan in Iraq, apprehending it would encourage Kurds in other countries for similar demand.

Common perception among the people in the Middle East is that creation of a separate independent Kurdistan would in fact be the “creation of another Israel” in the region.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Trump says Iran agrees to never have nuclear weapons, rejects $300 billion fund claim

Donald Trump said Iran has agreed to never possess nuclear weapons under a proposed framework, while dismissing reports that the US would provide Tehran with a $300 billion reconstruction fund.

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Donald Trump statement

US President Donald Trump has said that Iran has agreed to a commitment that it will never develop or possess nuclear weapons, describing it as a central element of a proposed understanding between Washington and Tehran.

Speaking about the ongoing diplomatic efforts, Trump also rejected reports suggesting that the United States planned to provide Iran with a reconstruction or investment package worth $300 billion. He described such claims as false and said no such arrangement had been agreed.

The remarks come as discussions continue over a broader framework aimed at easing tensions between the two countries. According to Trump, the understanding would ensure that Iran remains without nuclear weapons while opening the door for future engagement if the terms are respected.

Questions remain over final agreement details

Despite Trump’s comments, several aspects of the proposed arrangement remain unclear because the full text of the agreement has not yet been made public.

Reports indicate that negotiations have involved discussions on sanctions relief, access to frozen assets and potential economic measures linked to Iran’s compliance with future commitments. However, the exact scope of these provisions has not been officially confirmed.

Another key issue is how compliance would be monitored. Details regarding inspections, verification mechanisms and the handling of Iran’s existing nuclear materials have yet to be fully explained.

Further negotiations expected

Officials have suggested that discussions on technical nuclear matters could continue even after the signing of an initial memorandum of understanding. Such talks would likely focus on implementation and verification measures.

The proposed framework is being closely watched internationally, as any agreement between the United States and Iran could have significant implications for regional stability and global non-proliferation efforts.

For now, Trump has maintained that the core objective remains clear: ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon while denying reports that Washington has committed to a multibillion-dollar reconstruction fund.

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USA start FIFA World Cup 2026 with dominant 4-1 victory over Paraguay

The USA opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 journey with a dominant 4-1 victory against Paraguay, earning three valuable points in Group D.

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The United States kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign in impressive fashion, securing a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their Group D opener at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Playing in front of a passionate home crowd, the hosts delivered an attacking display to collect all three points and make an early statement in the tournament. The match also marked a significant occasion as the USA hosted part of the World Cup opening festivities before turning attention to the action on the pitch.

The Americans took control early and maintained pressure on Paraguay throughout the contest. Their attacking movement and clinical finishing helped them establish a comfortable lead, while Paraguay struggled to contain the hosts’ pace and creativity in the final third.

USA seize control after fast start

The United States settled quickly and found success going forward, creating several opportunities through quick passing and aggressive pressing. Their attacking approach paid off as they built momentum and gradually stretched Paraguay’s defence.

Paraguay attempted to respond and managed to get on the scoresheet, but the South American side found it difficult to match the intensity shown by the hosts. The USA continued to create chances and added further goals to put the result beyond doubt.

With the victory, the United States moved to the top section of Group D and gained an important boost in confidence ahead of their upcoming fixtures in the tournament.

Strong opening result for hosts

A winning start is particularly important in a World Cup campaign, and the USA achieved exactly that with a comprehensive performance. The result gives the hosts valuable momentum as they prepare for the next stage of group play.

For Paraguay, the defeat means they will need a strong response in their remaining group matches to keep their hopes of progressing to the knockout rounds alive.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with the tournament featuring an expanded format and more participating teams than previous editions.

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Jaishankar raises deaths of three Indian sailors with Marco Rubio, lodges strong protest

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveyed India’s strong protest to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over an attack that killed three Indian sailors, stressing that lethal action against commercial shipping is unjustified.

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External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Saturday spoke with Marco Rubio and conveyed India’s strong protest over recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf that resulted in the deaths of three Indian sailors.

According to reports, Jaishankar told Rubio that the use of lethal force against commercial shipping was not justified and underlined India’s serious concerns regarding the safety of civilian seafarers operating in the region. The conversation came days after three Indian mariners were killed in an attack on the Palau-flagged tanker Settebello near the Oman coast.

The incident has triggered diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Washington. India had earlier summoned a senior US diplomat to register its concerns and seek accountability following the attack. The Ministry of External Affairs has emphasized that actions endangering civilian shipping undermine maritime safety and stability in a strategically important region.

India reiterates concern over maritime safety

India has stressed the importance of protecting civilian seafarers and ensuring the security of international maritime commerce. Officials have expressed concern over multiple incidents involving Indian crew members in West Asian waters in recent days.

The deaths of the three sailors have also sparked calls within India for stronger diplomatic efforts to safeguard Indian nationals working aboard commercial vessels in conflict-affected maritime zones.

Background of the incident

The attack involved the tanker Settebello, which was operating near Oman when it was struck during ongoing tensions linked to the conflict involving Iran and maritime operations in the Gulf region. Initial reports indicated that Indian crew members were among those affected, and later confirmations established that three Indian sailors had died in the incident.

India has maintained that civilian shipping should not become a target and has continued diplomatic outreach to ensure the safety and welfare of Indian seafarers working across global shipping routes.

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