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Iraq: Muqtada Sadr wins highest Parliament seats

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Iraq: Muqtada Sadr wins highest Parliament seats

Middle Eastern population has been continuously expressing their anti-foreign intervention feelings through ballot. After giving unprecedented mandate to alliance headed by Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iraqi voters have chosen firebrand Moqtada al-Sadr headed Sa’iroun (Marchers) political block having alliance with communists, as the winner of the country’s parliamentary elections.

Ridah al-Badran, the Chief Electoral Officer announced late Saturday in Baghdad that Sa’iroun alliance has captured 54 parliamentary seats. Sadr himself did not contest the elections. The alliance contested in Iraq’s elections for the first time,

The Conquest Alliance, led by former transport minister and secretary general of Badr Organisation Hadi al-Ameri, came in second with 47 seats while Victory Alliance, headed by incumbent Prime Minister Haider al- Abadi, could achieve the third place with 42 seats.

Read More: Iraq votes for Parliament in first elections after IS defeat

The Conquest Alliance is a new alliance that entered the elections for the first time. It consists of 18 political parties many of which are former factions of the Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) also known by its Arabic name as Hashd al-Sha’abi. PMU played key role in defeating Daesh terrorists last year.  Since the end of confrontation with the terror group the main PMU units have handed over their weapons to the state in order to enter the political process.

Iraq: Muqtada Sadr wins highest Parliament seatsFormer PM Nouri al-Maliki headed State of Law Coalition has won 26 seats, Nechervan barezani led Kurdistan Democratic Party-25, Ammar al-Hakim led National wisdom Movement, also known as Al-Muwatin- 19, Ayad Allawi led Iraqi National Accord (Al-Wataniya)- 22, Kosrat Rasul Ali, Patriotic Union of Kurdistan got 18 and Usama al-Nujayfi could get 14 seats in the Iraqi parliament.

Iraqis voted for electing members of the parliament last Saturday in the first national elections since achieving victory over Daesh in December last

Over 7,000 candidates contested for 329 seats in the parliament that will choose a new president, prime minister and government in Iraq. According to electoral commission 44.5 percent of those eligible had cast their ballots. The low turn-out was caused by government’s ban on vehicle movement on the polling day, it was reported.

However, Aljazeera correspondent Osama Bin Jawed reports about triggering protests among Turkman, Arabs and Kurds who have rejected the election results. Kirkuk governor has reportedly alleged rigging through electronic voting machines. Meanwhile, some 81 newly elected MPs have demanded an emergency session to address the grievances.

This was the fourth parliamentary polls since the 2003 US invasion. In the post Saddam era a sharp rise in sectarian tensions and ensuing terror-related violence were witnessed in the country.

Election of new Prime Minister may take longer time because of the efforts to build new alliance with common minimum program and deliberations on foreign policy to be followed by the next government. Shia cleric Muqtada Sadr, who has begged the largest number of seats in the parliament, has been vocal against interference in country’s internal affairs by US or Iran. Sadr has also visited Saudi Arabia in recent months indicating his priority of being closer to Arabs instead of Shia Iran.

The next government will face the huge task of rebuilding a country destroyed by the foreign sponsored Daesh (IS) terrorists and the 2003 US invasion.

Daesh unleashed a campaign of death and destruction in Iraq in 2014, capturing vast swathes of territories in the country. Iraqi army, supported by Mobilization Units, the Iranian military advisors and Hezbollah fighters, launched operations to eliminate Daesh terrorist group and retake the lost territory.

Last December, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared the end of the anti-Daesh campaign. However, the group’s remnants keep staging sporadic attacks across the country.

Parliamentary elections were held in Iraq on 12 May. Elections decided 329 members of the Council of Representatives, the country’s unicameral legislature, who in turn will elect the Iraqi President and Prime Minister.

The elections were originally scheduled for September 2017, but were delayed by six months due to civil war with Daesh (IS) which ended in December 2017, with recapture of the remaining territories.

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India envoy Dinesh Trivedi meets PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman 

India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met PM Modi after talks with Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman amid diplomatic tensions.

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India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Dinesh Trivedi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday, a day after his meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in Dhaka.

According to the High Commission of India in Bangladesh, Trivedi sought PM Modi’s guidance on further strengthening the bilateral relationship between India and Bangladesh through a constructive and people-centric approach.

The meeting came a day after Trivedi held discussions with Tarique Rahman on matters of mutual interest and ways to advance ties between the two neighbouring countries.

Dinesh Trivedi Meets Bangladesh PM

During his meeting with Tarique Rahman on Monday, Trivedi conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Modi and reiterated India’s commitment to working with the Bangladeshi administration and its people in a positive, constructive and forward-looking manner.

The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest and explored avenues for strengthening India-Bangladesh relations with a people-centric approach.

The engagement took place at the Prime Minister’s Office in the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat. Trivedi also shared his experience of serving in Dhaka over the previous two months.

Sheikh Hasina Extradition Request

The meeting assumed significance as Bangladesh has expressed hope that India will expedite the extradition process involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted following a student-led uprising in 2024.

According to a statement issued by the Bangladesh Prime Minister’s Office, Dhaka also reiterated its request for India to return individuals it alleges were involved in the killing of Shahid Osman Hadi, a prominent figure associated with the July uprising who was shot on December 12, 2025.

Tarique Rahman stressed the need to create a suitable environment to take forward relations between Bangladesh and India.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and other officials attended the meeting.

India-Bangladesh Ties Amid Diplomatic Friction

The latest high-level engagements come amid diplomatic tensions between the two countries following a virtual press interaction by Sheikh Hasina in New Delhi on August 5.

The event, organised by the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of South Asia to mark the second anniversary of her ouster, prompted strong objections from Dhaka.

During the interaction, Hasina said she remained determined to return to Bangladesh in December and restore democracy, while acknowledging the possibility of imprisonment or a death sentence upon her return.

Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently registered a strong protest and said the development had affected public sentiment and complicated efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

India has said the government had no involvement in the event. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said it was organised by a private media entity and clarified that New Delhi did not endorse views expressed at the forum.

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Trump, PM Modi will resolve tariff issue over Russian oil trade, says US official

White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue over US tariff threats linked to India’s Russian oil trade.

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US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will resolve the issue surrounding the threat of US tariffs linked to India’s purchase of Russian oil, White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro said on Tuesday.

Navarro’s remarks came days after the US Senate passed a bill authorising the US President to impose tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five purchasers of Russian oil. The measure argues that such purchases directly contribute to financing Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Navarro comments on India’s Russian oil trade

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Navarro said India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia before the Ukraine war began in 2022.

He alleged that India became heavily involved in the trade after Russia’s invasion and sold refined products on behalf of Russia, which he said helped support the Russian war effort.

“Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, India was not involved in the oil trade with Russia, but afterwards it got heavily involved,” Navarro said.

The White House adviser also claimed that the issue had since been resolved and attributed some of the shift in India’s Russian oil trade to an opinion article he recently wrote in the Financial Times.

Trump and Modi will resolve issue, Navarro says

Navarro said the relationship between Trump and Modi would help address the tariff-related issue.

“The president and your prime minister have a very good working relationship. They are going to work that out amongst themselves,” he said, adding that it was not his place to intervene.

His comments come amid US concerns over countries purchasing Russian oil and proposed measures aimed at imposing additional tariffs on major buyers.

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US Senate passes Russia sanctions bill, India-China face 100% tariff risk

The US Senate has passed a Russia sanctions bill that could allow 100% tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil and gas, including India and China.

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The US Senate has approved a bipartisan Russia sanctions bill that could allow President Donald Trump to impose tariffs of up to 100% on major buyers of Russian oil or natural gas, including India and China.

The legislation was passed by an 86-11 vote and will now move to the US House of Representatives, which is scheduled to reconvene on August 31.

The bill is named in honour of Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a strong supporter of Ukraine who died on July 11. Graham had pushed for tougher sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine.

India and China among major Russian energy buyers

The legislation gives the US president the power to impose tariffs on the world’s top five purchasers of Russian oil or natural gas.

India and China are among those countries, along with Azerbaijan, Hungary and Slovakia.

The bill also contains an exception for countries importing less than 15% of their natural gas from Russia and taking steps to reduce their dependence on Russian supplies.

What does the Russia sanctions bill contain?

Apart from the proposed tariffs, the legislation includes sanctions targeting Russian President Vladimir Putin, senior Russian political and military officials, financial institutions and energy projects.

The bill would also expand US sanctions to older and reflagged oil tankers allegedly used by Moscow to bypass existing restrictions on Russian oil and energy revenues.

At the same time, the White House would have the option to waive sanctions or restrictions if the president certifies to Congress that doing so is in the national interest.

Bill also extends Iran sanctions law

The legislation also contains a provision related to Iran. It would extend the expiration date of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996 until 2031.

The law penalises companies that invest in Iran’s energy sector.

The bill’s passage in the Senate marks the next step in the US legislative process, but it still needs approval from the House of Representatives before it can move forward.

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