Wednesday, 21 October 2026

In Erbil province, the Iranian Kurdish opposition Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) said Iran fired four ballistic missiles at one of its bases in the Harir-Balisan area on Wednesday. The group said the base had been evacuated beforehand and there were no casualties. Political sources meanwhile told Shafaq News that Iraqi leaders were discussing moving Iranian Kurdish opposition groups out of the Kurdistan Region to other parts of Iraq. One source identified Samawah in Al-Muthanna province among the locations under consideration. A second source said handing the groups’ members over to Iran had been ruled out for now. That source said the proposal had come up repeatedly in political meetings, including within the Coordination Framework, but no relocation decision had been taken.

Separately, Sadiqoun MP Ahmed Kayin al-Khazali (AAH — parliamentary Security and Defence Committee member) said Tuesday that their weapons had not been taken and would not be taken. His remarks followed the Coordination Framework’s Monday reaffirmation of the 30 June 2027 deadline for bringing weapons outside official authority under state control. Islamic Supreme Council head Hamam Hamoudi disclosed a multi-stage weapons-control plan, according to a Wednesday headline in Al-Wajiha–Al-Mirbad. Noon Post reported that AAH sought the deputy premiership before announcing readiness to surrender its weapons. Its connection between AAH’s executive appointments and weapons negotiations was an interpretation, not an AAH announcement of an appointments-for-disarmament agreement. On Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) legislation, MP Rafiq al-Salihi urged the government Wednesday to expedite sending the bill to parliament. Accounts of its arrival remain contradictory: MP Mohammed al-Khafaji said Wednesday that it had not reached parliament, contrary to MP Hamed al-Mousawi’s Monday account that parliament had received it.

Sadiqoun MP Ahmed Kayin al-Khazali (AAH — parliamentary Security and Defence Committee member) said on Tuesday that their weapons had not been taken and would not be taken. Speaking on Al-Ahad TV (AAH — official), he also said the Defence Ministry would acquire drones and ballistic missiles. His remarks followed the Coordination Framework’s Monday reaffirmation of the 30 June 2027 deadline for bringing weapons outside official authority under state control. Islamic Supreme Council head Hamam Hamoudi meanwhile disclosed a multi-stage weapons-control plan, according to a Wednesday headline in Al-Wajiha - Al-Mirbad. Noon Post reported that AAH had sought the deputy premiership before announcing readiness to surrender its weapons. It interpreted AAH’s deputy-premiership and Labour Ministry gains as connected to weapons negotiations, rather than reporting an AAH announcement of an appointments-for-disarmament agreement.

On PMF legislation, MP Rafiq al-Salihi urged the government on Wednesday to expedite sending the PMF bill to parliament. He called enactment a national and moral entitlement that could not be postponed, citing PMF fighters’ sacrifices. MP Mohammed al-Khafaji said the same day that the bill had not yet reached parliament. That contradicts MP Hamed al-Mousawi’s Monday account on iNEWS (KSS — affiliated) that parliament had received it. Al-Khafaji also said the Council of Ministers had not yet voted on the 2027 budget.

Elsewhere, Al-Ahad reported Basra protests on Wednesday against the government’s intended closure of Shalamcheh. Its correspondent said the local government considered closure unlikely and most Iraqi students studying in Iran used the crossing. Sabereen News (KH — affiliated) relayed Khuzestan province’s instruction for Iraqis in Iran to use Shalamcheh because Shib had closed. A Maysan Provincial Council source said Baghdad had ordered Shib shut until further notice for administrative reasons. Iran’s Interior Ministry said Iraq had given it no advance notice. Al-Ahad also reported possible closures of Al-Mundhiriyah and Mandali in the coming days. Its Wasit correspondent said more than 60 percent of Iranian arrivals used Zurbatiya and traffic was flowing smoothly. He warned of severe economic damage if that crossing closed.

Separately, economic researcher Ahmed Abd Rabbo told Al-Ahad on Tuesday that US banking sanctions were political, alleging Washington had punished 32 Iraqi banks, including banks that had not handled transfers. He predicted restrictions would be lifted on four or five banks. Parliamentary Finance Committee member Jamal Kujar instead alleged that some banks were fronts for political parties and figures and smuggled money. He described relief for four banks as requiring restructuring and reform. Economist Safwan Qusay urged negotiations with Washington and action to dispel dollar-smuggling suspicions on Wednesday. He warned against risking Iraq’s economy and said Iraqi banks faced guardianship upon suspicion of dollar smuggling.