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Kadhimi’s daily policy and behavior is only to gain the support of several domestic and foreign parties in order to remain in the office of prime minister, which further complicates the crisis, especially as some parties prefer someone else to assume the office of prime minister, added Zrijawi.
"What is happening in in Baghdad’s Green Zone is directly prompted by Al-Kadhimi, because if he did not allow and open the Zone’s gate, the demonstrators would not have breached the Green Zone and could not enter the House of Representatives and take it over.
On July 28, Sadrist protesters stormed the Baghdad’s Green Zone and breached its tall concrete gates after the prime minister gave the order to open the gates. The protesters stormed the Parliament and camped inside the building.
The Iraqi parliament speaker Mohamed Al-Halbousi announced that the assembly’s meetings would be halted indefinitely, and Coordination Framework leaders that live in the Green Zone were endanger from the Sadrists.
After a leaked audio recording in which Al-Maliki accused Al-Sadr being in the payroll of foreign powers, the relations between the two Shiite parties hit an all-time low.
Al-Sadr responded with mobilizing the streets, which he commands the majority of them. First called on his followers for a Friday prayer which was attended by hundreds of thousands, and later his supporters stormed the Iraqi capital where the majority of Coordination Framework leaders reside.
Nouri Al-Maliki was seen armed with his body guards trying to flee the Greene Zone as Sadrists were preparing to takeover the political capital of Iraq.
The vehicle was a Toyota Land Cruiser, two people on board were wounded, and their identities remain unknown. Also, the perpetrators remain unidentified, and no one has claimed responsibility.
Local sources bear responsibility on Turkey, given Ankara's systemic targeting of the region using drones and artillery.
The attack came after a Turkish military outpost in Bamarneh in Amedi was hit by several rockets earlier today. Since the beginning of this year, it has been the fifth time that the Turkish military base was targeted in the Bamarne district of Amedi, the KurdSat reporter explained.
Kurdsat reporter said that the military base was targeted by artillery, and the damage has not been revealed yet.
In response to Turkey's bombing and invasion of the Kurdistan region, the Turkish military bases in Bamarne district, Sirê district in Amedi, and Zelkan district in Mosul have been targeted several times this year.
Turkish UAVs conduct regular military operations within the Kurdistan region, usually with significant collateral damage.
The Kurdistan Green Party (KGP) claimed that over 300,000 stray dogs roam the streets of the Kurdistan Region. Although a shelter has been built in Sulaimani to accommodate stray dogs, their large number has made the problem more challenging to address.
When one walks through the streets of Sulaimani, it is not uncommon to spot a pack of stray dogs living on the city’s streets, parks, restaurants, and residential complexes. Many stray dogs have bothered the citizens of the town.
The Kurdistan Green Party (KGP) has announced a project to solve the problem of stray dogs. Their large number has made them hungrier as they have to compete over lesser food available. The dogs are also a threat to people, especially women and children. The stray dogs have caused multiple deaths and tens of injuries only in 2022.
Citizens often abuse stray dogs and have to move from one place to another. A sharp rise in the number of dogs in the Kurdistan region has also increased the risk to the population and the region’s ability to shelter and feed them. Animal rights advocates have proposed solutions to protect animal rights.
The unprecedented increase in the stray dog population could be traced to people’s tolerance of dogs and a new culture of loving animals. Also, people tend to through large amounts of food. According to unofficial figures, nearly 2610 tons of food are wasted daily in the Kurdistan region.
According to the figures published by KGP, there are more than 300,000 stray dogs in the Kurdistan region, 63,000 are in Erbil, 50,000 in Duhok, and 51,000 in Sulaimani, and the rest live in the other cities of the Kurdistan region.
Stray dogs have become a chronic problem for the Kurdistan region, and there seem to be no solutions for the time being.
Kurdsat News reporter in Baghdad said that supporters of the Coordination Framework began camping in front of the gates of the Green Zone. In a message to the protesters Qais Khazali, Secretary General of Asaib Ahl al-Haq, asked the protesters to avoid marching into the Green Zone.
Supporters of the Sadr Movement, who have camped and occupied the House of Representatives for three days, continue to express their protests. Demonstrations were also organized at the request of the Sadr Movement in Mosul, Diyala, Maysan, and several other cities.
Saleh Mohammed Iraqi, known as Muqtada al-Sadr's minister, has denied rumors that they will end the strike and temporarily withdraw from the House of Representatives and the Green Zone until negotiations between the political parties resolve outstanding issues.
Sadr's minister urged demonstrators in other provinces to stay in their places until evening prayers and then wait for instructions.
Iraqi Security Media Cell also reported that the security and military forces would not interfere in political affairs and are under the command of the armed forces commander-in-chief.
Various armed forces are vying for power in Baghdad with different agendas and international and regional backing, and the recent protests are unique; the people have come to the forefront of power politics in Iraq.
The ministry confirmed raising the state of maximum alert in preparation for Tuesday's possible visit.
For its part, the US National Security Council announced that Washington would not succumb to the Chinese threat over Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, stressing the Biden administration's support for a possible visit.
US and Taiwanese sources close to the military reported that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would stop in Taiwan Tuesday for one night.
The US sources said that an aircraft carrier, three submarines, and 36 US warships would participate in maneuvers in the Pacific Ocean.
Simultaneously, China also announced live-fire exercises to coincide with Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.
On Monday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry warned of the consequences of Pelosi's visit to Taipei if it decided to add Taiwan to its destinations in its Asian tour.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said, "In the event that the Speaker of the US House of Representatives visits Taiwan, the Chinese army will not remain idly by."
The latest warning was issued during a regular briefing by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, where ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that because of Pelosi's "number three in the US administration," the visit to Taiwan "will have a serious political impact," according to "Reuters."
Nancy Pelosi arrived in Singapore early Monday morning at the start of her Asian tour.
A spokesman for the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Pelosi would meet President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, meet several government ministers and is expected to attend a party with the American Chamber of Commerce in Singapore.
In a statement issued over the weekend, Pelosi said she would visit Malaysia, South Korea, and Japan to discuss trade, the coronavirus pandemic, climate change, security, and democratic governance. News reports did not confirm that she might visit Taiwan.
For his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping warned against interfering in Beijing's dealings with Taiwan during a phone call last week with his US counterpart, Joe Biden.
If she visits, Pelosi would be the highest-ranking US official to visit Taiwan since former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in 1997.
The Biden administration has tried to reassure Beijing that there is no reason to "attack" and that if such a visit occurred, it would not signal any change in US policy.
The meeting was attended by David Hunt, British Consul General in Erbil. The Deputy Prime Minister said that Iraq can no longer tolerate unnecessary conflict over offices and privileges, and the parties in the process of forming the government should focus their discussions on crucial political issues and how to form a people-friendly government and a government working to resolve the disputes between the Kurdistan region and Baghdad.
Qubad Talabani stressed that at this stage, an agreement on the oil and gas and the adoption of the oil and gas law should be a priority in the negotiations to form the next Iraqi government because an agreement on this issue creates a favorable environment.
In another part of the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister referred to the environmental problems and threats to water resources in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region and said that the environmental challenges should be among the priorities of the next Iraqi government.
On his part, the British Ambassador praised the reform steps of the Kurdistan Regional Government and reaffirmed his country's readiness to assist the Kurdistan region in accelerating and further promoting the reform process in government institutions. He called on the KRG to organize a special meeting for the ambassadors and diplomatic envoys to discuss the reform process in the Kurdistan Region.
Qubad Talabani thanked the British Consul General for his visit to the Raperin region and asked him to visit other cities and towns to develop joint plans for investment in these regions and create job opportunities for the residents of the Kurdistan region.
The bodies of 100 Barzani victims of Anfal will be returned to the Kurdistan region via Erbil International Airport. They will be transported to the Barzan region in a special ceremony and reburied in Barzan village on Sunday.
The bodies were found in the Arar desert in southern Iraq. They were sent to Baghdad for DNA testing to verify their whereabouts, and it was found out that they were Barzan Anfal victims.
The atrocities committed against the Barzan tribe were part of the Baathist regime’s genocidal Anfal campaign to exterminate the Kurds. Anfal refers to the eighth chapter, or Surah, in the Quran – which was the codename used by Baathists for the genocide. Anfal is translated as the spoils of war. More than 182,000 people were massacred and over 4,500 villages demolished in the various phases of the Anfal campaign that began in late March 1988, starting with the Halabja Chemical bombardment that gas 5000 people to death.
The disputed territories that constitute almost half of the Kurdistan region's federal territory are now under the central government's control.
He said that before deciding on an important issue such as the census, it must be dealt with carefully because it is directly related to the lives of citizens in the Kurdistan regions.
He stressed that any comprehensive process in these areas, if not fully normalized, is unacceptable and will not achieve Kurdish rights because there are a large number of refugees in the disputed territories, and Article 140 has not been implemented, which creates a suspicious circumstance on the census process, both sides, the Kurdistan region and Iraqi government should decide on the census of these areas.
The Kurdish territories disputed between the Kurdistan region and the Iraqi government have become one of the unresolved issues between Iraq and the Kurdistan region since 2005. The 2005 Iraqi constitution stipulates that a referendum shall be held in these territories for their population to decide which side they want to be on, the Kurdistan region of the federal government.
The Iraqi government is working to hold a population consensus which automatically provides the results of a to-be referendum. The region has been facing Arabizing policies since the 2017 independence referendum, and the Kurds in these territories are coerced to leave the area through various hard and soft means.
KurdSat News reporter holding a book titled “1000 intelligence questions” asked her how many books have you read so far, and she replied “seventy-five”.
Afram Hussein, a doctor who first realized Liza’s intelligence capabilities, said that her IQ tests have shown that her intelligence is between 100 per cent and 125 per cent, which places her above ordinary, and she should not pursue regular education.
Liza lives in the Sharazoor district. She has two sisters; her mother is a teacher, while her father is an engineer.
After appearing in the media, many private schools offered her a seat and promised to teach her on her own merits.
Today, July 26, a demonstration organized by the Star Congress called on the international community, the international coalition, and Russia to close the airspace to Turkish aircraft.
On July 22, a Turkish air raid targeted three SDF commanders near Qamishli while returning from a special conference on the women's revolution, killing all three.
Among them were Salwa Yusuk, alias Ciyan Afrin deputy SDF commander and Joint Operations Commander with the international coalition against ISIS, and her companions.
Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the SDF, promised revenge and said, "Joint Operations Commander with the coalition, Jiyan Afrin with our comrades Roj and Barin, heroines took part in the war against ISIS and rescued humanity."
The attack was condemned mainly by the Kurds in Rojava and the Kurdistan region. Shanaz Ibrahim Ahmed, a PUK politburo executive, offered his condolence to the SDF commander and said, "It is unfortunate that the brave and heroic girl of Afrin closed her eyes forever."
Turkey continues to raid Rojava and shell its population centers frequently. Erdogan's planned upcoming operation to invade Rojava and move its forces 30 kilometers deep into Rojava has been of concern to the SDF, which has asked the international community to create a no-fly zone in Rojava to protect civilians.
In an interview with the Al-Arabiya on June 24, Iraqi defense minister, “the Iraqi army can counter the Turkish army and force it to end its aggression against Iraqi territory, but they are waiting for political and diplomatic solutions because war will only lead to destruction and bloodshed.”
"Iraq has launched its first war against Turkey at the Security Council and is waiting for the results of diplomatic efforts," he added.
Regarding Turkey's last week bombing of Zakho that killed nine tourists and injured over twenty others, the defense minister said," Turkey used heavy artillery and is responsible for the deaths of civilians."
The recent Turkish assault on Iraqi civilians in northern Iraq caused massive nationwide protests against Turkey that resulted in heated diplomatic friction between Ankara and Baghdad. Turkey stopped issuing visas for Iraqis when protesters shut down Turkish Visa centers across Iraq.
He added that Iran "did not leave the negotiating table," accusing the West of creating a crisis in these negotiations by issuing a decision in the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors during the negotiations.
He also added that reaching a result from the negotiations aimed at reviving the nuclear agreement requires "the will of the other party above all," considering that Iran's position is "logical and rational."
Raisi's statements come after the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi announced that the agency does not have enough information to prove that Iran is building an atomic bomb, but the efforts and the way Tehran works indicate that it is moving in this direction.
"Our access is limited and we don't know what's going on with the Iranian nuclear program," Grossi said in an interview with CNN on Monday, explaining that "the truth is that Iran has closed some cameras, and we won't know what's going on until we have full access."
Grossi did not give a clear answer to the questions about how close Iran is to the atomic bomb, and only said that Iran is moving towards 60% enrichment, adding that "this level is very close to 90% enrichment, with which is close to weapon-grade," according to the website.
While stressing that "confidence cannot be built on words", Iran must allow the inspectors access, saying, "Iran's nuclear negotiations with the negotiating countries have reached a critical stage, and the scope of the agreement is becoming narrower and more difficult every day."
These statements came after the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Mohammad Eslami, announced that Tehran would not operate the cameras of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which it removed in June, until the 2015 nuclear agreement is revived, according to the semi-official Iranian "Tasnim" news agency on Monday.
Iran had told the International Atomic Energy Agency that it had removed its equipment, including 27 cameras installed under the agreement, after the agency passed a resolution criticizing Tehran in June.
Iran also announced that it will keep all IAEA cameras turned off until the 2015 nuclear deal is restored.
Today, July 26, a military delegation led by the deputy commander of joint operations arrived in Iraq’s northernmost city of Zakho in Duhok province.
In an interview with KurdSat News, the spokesperson for Iraqi joint operations lieutenant Tahseen Khafaji said, "the purpose of their visit was to reassure their people that another deadly attack would not take place in the region."
Khafaji was referring to a deadly Turkish shelling on July 20 that killed nine Iraqi tourists and injured over twenty. The attack brought nationwide protests, and protestors shut down many Turkish Visa centers in multiple Iraqi cities.
The visit brought with it another surprise, rising the Iraqi flag on the Turkish-Iraqi border for the first time since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003.
"We will also work to better spread our forces in the area," Khafaji explained. The delegation was also a reconnaissance mission to bring the regular Iraqi army back to the region. Peshmerga, PKK, and the Turkish military are all present in the area.
When asked what Iraq is doing about Turkey’s continued shelling and air raid of the Kurdistan region, the spokesperson replied, "it is for the ministry of foreign affairs to prevent such attacks and it is their decision what to do."
Today, July 26, the Czech general consulate in Erbil tweeted that the Czech general consul met with the Minister of agricultural and water resources Begard Talabani.
The Czech general consul said, "I thank the Minister for hosting the delegation of the Czech Ministry of Agriculture and for accepting my invitation to Czech business day in October 2022. I look forward to future cooperation."
The Kurdistan region has turned to agriculture and relaxed foreign investment laws and regulations. The region’s reliance on oil has brought it crisis after crisis.
KRG minister of agriculture said they have discussed strengthening bilateral ties and cooperation between the region and the Czech Republic.
On her Facebook page, Talabani wrote, "We also discussed investment opportunities, agricultural industry, and the support for Czech investors to invest and cooperate with farmers and business owners in the Kurdistan region."
"They have discussed with the Czech delegation the KRG Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources’ efforts to tackle water resource management, and facing the challenges of drought," wrote Talabani on her Facebook page.
Drought and water management have come on the top of issues facing the region and Iraq in general as drought. Dams built by Turkey and Iran on rivers that provide almost all fresh water to the country have reduced to record low levels.
The region tries to diversify its economy, and agriculture is one of the gates it can use to exit its oil overdependence.
In an article published in the Financial Times on Tuesday, Borrell wrote that the text "is not a perfect agreement," but it "represents the best agreement that I consider possible, as a mediator in negotiations."
He pointed out that the proposed solution "addresses all the basic elements and includes settlements that all parties obtained with difficulty." Borrel also warned that in case of refusal, "we risk a serious nuclear crisis."
Iranian chief negotiator Ali Bagheri wrote Tuesday on Twitter, "The coordinator (Josep Borrell) shared his thoughts on completing the negotiations. We also have our own ideas to complete the negotiations, whether in substance or form."
The agreement concluded in 2015 between Iran and six countries (the United States, France, Britain, Russia, China, and Germany) allowed the lifting of sanctions imposed on Tehran to restrict its nuclear activities and ensure the peace of its program.
However, its effects have become null and void since former US President Donald Trump withdrew unilaterally from it in 2018, re-imposing severe sanctions, which prompted Iran, after about a year, to begin gradually withdrawing from most of its basic nuclear commitments.
Iran and the powers affiliated with the agreement began discussions to revive it in April 2021 in Vienna, with the indirect participation of the United States and facilitated by the European Union.
Despite significant progress in the negotiations, the talks were suspended last March, with points of disagreement between Tehran and Washington that have not yet been resolved by those concerned with bridging the gap.
It is noteworthy that Josep Borrell visited Tehran on June 25 to meet with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian. The two officials then announced the resumption of talks "in the coming days" in Vienna.
Borrell's compromise deals "in detail" with lifting sanctions against Iran and the nuclear measures needed to revive the nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
Today, Monday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry confirmed that negotiations to revive the nuclear agreement will continue "until a good, strong and stable agreement is reached."
"The government is committed to the negotiation process as a serious option," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in a press conference today, "It will not engage in emotional and hasty negotiations."
He stressed that "the basic policy of Ibrahim Raisi's government is based on the principle not to link the economy and people's livelihood to negotiations," adding that "talks and an exchange of messages are continuing through the mediation of Josep Borrell," the European Union's foreign policy commissioner.
Regarding Tehran's complex relationship with the International Atomic Energy Agency, Kanaani said, "Iran has always cooperated with the agency in an interactive and constructive manner, and has allowed inspections by agency inspectors" of Iran's nuclear facilities.
"Iran is a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons," the spokesperson explained.
However, he considered that IAEA Secretary-General Rafael Grossi "adopted an unprofessional and unfair approach to Iran's nuclear program, especially in recent months," adding: "Grossi's views are not useful and constructive."
Kanaani asked Grossi "to observe the principle of impartiality and fairness" and demanded him "to avoid placing obstacles on the path of negotiations and lifting sanctions" on Iran.
Grossi had said in a newspaper interview last week that Iran's nuclear program was "advancing rapidly" and that the agency's ability to monitor what was going on there was very limited.
In recent strife, the IAEA accused Tehran of meddling in the organization's efforts to scrutinize Iran's nuclear activities, citing the removal of CCTV cameras. Last June, Iran began removing all IAEA surveillance equipment and cameras placed under the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.
Grossi said last week: "The bottom line is that for about five weeks I've had very limited ability to monitor while the nuclear program is rapidly advancing. So if a deal is made, it will be very difficult for me to put things back in place with all the that period of forced blindness."
Since the Trump administration's unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear agreement in 2018, Iran has gradually detracted from its obligations and increased uranium enrichment to weapons-grade levels.