BAGHDAD: An Iraqi court on Wednesday ordered the arrest of senior Kurdish officials responsible for organizing an independence referendum, in the latest salvo by the central authorities over the disputed vote.
The decision ratchets up pressure on Iraqi Kurdistan just over two weeks after voters in the autonomous region overwhelmingly backed independence in the non-binding ballot slammed as illegal by Baghdad.
Acting on a request from the National Security Council headed by Iraq’s prime minister, a court in east Baghdad issued warrants against the chairman of the vote’s organizing commission Hendren Saleh and two other members, Supreme Judicial Council spokesman Abdel Sattar Bayraqdar told AFP.
It ruled that the three “organized the referendum in contravention of a ruling by the Iraqi supreme court,” which had found the vote unconstitutional and ordered it called off.
The supreme court ruling came one week before the September 25 referendum, but the organizers went ahead with it regardless.
In retaliation the central authorities have already severed ties between the region and the outside world by cutting international air links, while neighboring Turkey and Iran have threatened to close their borders to oil exports.
The court’s arrest order is part of a broader legal onslaught from the central government.
The National Security Council on Monday said “a list of names” of Kurdish officials who helped organized the referendum had been compiled and “judicial measures have been taken against them.”
Iraq has also launched a probe into Kurdistan’s lucrative oil revenues and pledged to expose “corrupt” officials in the region who might have illegally monopolized the market.
Baghdad — which has already demanded to take over Kurdistan’s airports and borders — is looking to reclaim control over mobile phone companies in the region, including two of the largest providers in Iraq.
The authorities also announced Tuesday that they are looking to reopen a key oil pipeline to Turkey that would rival a competing Kurdish export route.
The Iraqi pipeline was cut off after the Daesh group seized swathes of the country in 2014, halting a flow of oil to Turkey of up to 400,000 barrels a day.
The angry dispute over the referendum — also rejected by the United States — is the latest twist in the decades-long movement by Iraq’s Kurds to break away from Baghdad.
Iraq is pushing Turkey and Iran — which both opposed the ballot over fears of fueling demands from their own sizeable Kurdish communities — to close their border posts with Kurdistan and stop all trade with the region.
Washington warned the referendum could “increase instability” in the region and have an impact on the battle against Daesh, in which Kurdish fighters have been a key force.
Iraq court orders arrest of Kurd independence vote organizers
Iraq court orders arrest of Kurd independence vote organizers
US helps Israel shoot down barrage of Iranian missiles
- US also is shifting military resources, including ships, in the Middle East in response to the strikes
- About 40,000 troops are in the Mideast region now, according to a US official
WASHINGTON: American air defense systems and Navy assets in the Middle East helped Israel shoot down incoming ballistic missiles Friday that Tehran launched in response to Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and top military leaders, US officials said.
The US has both ground-based Patriot missile defense systems and Terminal High Altitude Air Defense systems in the region capable of intercepting ballistic missiles, which Iran fired in multiple barrages in retaliation for Israel’s initial attack.
Naval assets also were involved in assisting Israel as Iran fired missiles at Tel Aviv, one official said. It was not immediately clear if ships fired interceptors or if their advanced missile tracking systems helped Israel identify incoming targets.
The United States also is shifting military resources, including ships, in the Middle East in response to the strikes.
The Navy has directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, which is capable of defending against ballistic missiles, to begin sailing from the western Mediterranean Sea toward the eastern Mediterranean and has directed a second destroyer to begin moving forward so it can be available if requested by the White House, US officials said.
American fighter jets also are patrolling the sky in the Middle East to protect personnel and installations, and air bases in the region are taking additional security precautions, the officials said.
The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details not yet made public or to discuss ongoing operations.
President Donald Trump met with his National Security Council principals Friday to discuss options.
The forces in the region have been taking precautionary measures for days, including having military dependents voluntarily depart regional bases, in anticipation of the strikes and to protect personnel in case of a large-scale response from Tehran.
Typically around 30,000 troops are based in the Middle East, and about 40,000 troops are in the region now, according to a US official. That number surged as high as 43,000 last October amid the ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran as well as continuous attacks on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen.
The Navy has additional assets that it could surge to the Middle East if needed, particularly its aircraft carriers and the warships that sail with them. The USS Carl Vinson is in the Arabian Sea — the only aircraft carrier in the region.
The carrier USS Nimitz is in the Indo-Pacific and could be directed toward the Middle East if needed, and the USS George Washington just left its port in Japan and could also be directed to the region if so ordered, one of the officials said.
Then-President Joe Biden initially surged ships to protect Israel following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas that launched the war in Gaza. It was seen as a deterrent against Hezbollah and Iran at the time.
On Oct. 1, 2024, US Navy destroyers fired about a dozen interceptors in defense of Israel as the country came under attack by more than 200 missiles fired by Iran.
How Saudi Arabia’s OceanQuest is making waves in global marine conservation
- OceanQuest is a Saudi non-profit focused on deep-sea exploration and global marine science collaborations
- On its Around Africa Expedition, the foundation emphasized human-centered approaches to conservation
RIYADH: As the curtains closed on this year’s UN Ocean Conference in the French city of Nice, the Saudi-led foundation OceanQuest emerged as one of the standout contributors to marine sustainability — not only in policy circles but also in the depths of the world’s oceans.
Fresh from its pioneering Around Africa Expedition, OceanQuest, in partnership with OceanX, brought remarkable scientific discoveries and a powerful message to UNOC — that true marine conservation must combine exploration, collaboration, and education.
“This expedition went around Africa and engaged on-ship around 16 African scientists and more than 200 port stops,” Martin Visbeck, CEO of OceanQuest, told Arab News.
From surveying megafauna by helicopter to exploring seamounts more than 1,000 meters beneath the surface aboard the OceanXplorer, the team used cutting-edge technology and human ingenuity to illuminate previously uncharted ecosystems.
OceanQuest is a Saudi non-profit incubated at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology. It is rapidly becoming a key player in the global marine science arena, dedicated to deep-sea exploration, design innovation, and cross-border collaboration.
DID YOU KNOW?
• OceanQuest is a Saudi non-profit focused on deep-sea exploration and global collaborations in marine science.
• The foundation emphasizes human-centered approaches to conservation by training African scientists and educators.
• Discoveries on its Around Africa Expedition include new seamounts vital for biodiversity and sustainable fisheries.
One of its flagship missions — the Around Africa Expedition — offered not only new data but a model of inclusive, equitable marine science.
Using robotic vehicles, manned submersibles, and remote sensing tools, the team made multiple dives during the mission.
In total, they spent 53 hours underwater, collected nearly 90 samples, and mapped thousands of square kilometers of the seabed, including around the Nola Seamounts and Santo Antao Island. Flights over 922 nautical miles provided additional data on large marine animals.
Among the major outcomes was the identification of new underwater seamounts, crucial for fisheries and marine biodiversity.
“We will be the ones who go to seamount systems and explore what is there, look at the species, look at the functions and understanding, then share that with the community, to provide reasons why certain seamounts should be protected,” said Visbeck.
This insight is critical as countries consider the ratification and implementation of the High Seas Treaty — formally the Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction agreement — a major focus at UNOC.
“Biodiversity protection beyond national jurisdiction means the protected areas in the high seas, outside of a country’s own legal role,” said Visbeck.
OceanQuest’s approach is not just technical — it is human-centered.
Working alongside top African entities such as the National Research Foundation, the University of Cape Town, and the South African National Biodiversity Institute, the expedition helped build capacity for African marine science.
Twenty-four early-career professionals from across the continent were trained in seafloor mapping, environmental DNA analysis, and deep-sea sampling.
“This wasn’t just about what we discovered in the ocean. It was also about who we empowered on the ground,” said Visbeck. “By investing in people — students, young professionals and educators — we’re building a foundation for Africa’s long-term leadership in ocean science.”
He sees this collaborative model as a roadmap for future conservation.
“These collaborations are the future of ocean science in Africa,” he said. “We’ve seen what’s possible when scientists, governments and regional institutions align behind a common purpose, advancing knowledge, access and opportunity.”
This year’s UNOC provided the perfect platform for OceanQuest to share these achievements and ambitions.
“I decided that it would be amazing to celebrate and launch OceanQuest and share with the ocean world our arrival on the scene at UNOC,” said Visbeck.
“We are using UNOC to celebrate with our partners, friends and ocean-policy people on the scene and share with them our mission and vision.”
In a time of mounting ocean crises — from plastic pollution to overfishing and climate change — Visbeck says awareness is a powerful tool.
“What we are trying to do is fight ignorance by providing data and information. Once the information is more clear, it can be a basis for regulatory agencies.”
From the Red Sea to the high seas, OceanQuest is helping reframe the future of ocean conservation — not just by mapping the seafloor, but by drawing a new map for global cooperation.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar to host football World Cup playoffs
- Group winners will take two automatic places at 2026 tournament finals in North America
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Qatar will host the Asian qualifying playoffs for the 2026 World Cup, the Asian Football Confederation said on Friday.
The third and fourth-placed teams from the qualifiers that ended last week — Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Iraq, Oman, Qatar and the UAE — will form two groups of three teams and play from Oct. 8 to 14. The draw will take place on July 17.
Group winners will take the two remaining automatic places at the World Cup finals in the US, Canada and Mexico. The runners-up from each group will play two matches on Nov. 13 and 18, with the winners qualifying for the inter-confederation playoffs
Meanwhile this year’s Saudi Super Cup featuring Al-Ittihad, Al-Qadisiyah, Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr will be held in Hong Kong, football chiefs said on Friday. Matches will take place from Aug. 19-23 at the 40,000-seat Hong Kong Stadium.
“This represents a qualitative shift for the tournament, which has achieved remarkable success,” Saudi Football Federation secretary general Ibrahim Al-Qassim said.
Trump says Iran has ‘second chance’ to come to nuclear deal after Israeli strikes devastate Tehran
- Trump, in the hours before the Israeli attack on Iran, still appeared hopeful in public comments that there would be more time for diplomacy
- Iran late Friday launched hundreds of ballistic missiles toward Israel after firing dozens of drones earlier in the day
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump on Friday urged Iran to quickly reach an agreement on curbing its nuclear program as Israel vowed to continue its bombardment of the country.
Trumped framed the volatile moment in the Middle East as a possible “second chance” for Iran’s leadership to avoid further destruction “before there is nothing left and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire.”
The Republican president pressed on Iran as he met his national security team in the Situation Room to discuss the tricky path forward following Israel’s devastating strikes, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to keep up for “as many days as it takes” to decapitate Iran’s nuclear program.
The White House said it had no involvement in the strikes, but Trump highlighted that Israel used its deep arsenal of weaponry provided by the US to target Iran’s main enrichment facility in Natanz and the country’s ballistic missile program, as well as top nuclear scientists and officials.
Trump said on his Truth Social platform that he had warned Iran’s leaders that “it would be much worse than anything they know, anticipated, or were told, that the United States makes the best and most lethal military equipment anywhere in the World, BY FAR, and that Israel has a lot of it, with much more to come — And they know how to use it.”
Just hours before Israel launched its strikes on Iran early Friday, Trump was still holding onto tattered threads of hope that the long-simmering dispute could be resolved without military action. Now, he’ll be tested anew on his ability to make good on a campaign promise to disentangle the US from foreign conflicts.
In the aftermath of the Israeli strikes, the US is shifting its military resources, including ships, in the Middle East as it looks to guard against possible retaliatory attacks by Tehran, according to two US officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.
The Navy has directed the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner to begin sailing toward the Eastern Mediterranean and has directed a second destroyer to begin moving forward, so it can be available if requested by the White House.
As Israel stepped up planning for strikes in recent weeks, Iran had signaled the United States would be held responsible in the event of an Israeli attack. The warning was issued by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi even as he engaged in talks with Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program.
Friday’s strikes came as Trump planned to dispatch Witkoff to Oman on Sunday for the next round of talks with the Iranian foreign minister.
Witkoff still plans to go to Oman this weekend for talks on Tehran’s nuclear program, but it’s unclear if the Iranians will participate, according to US officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private diplomatic discussions.
The president made a series of phone calls Friday to US television news anchors to renew his calls on Iran to curb its nuclear program.
CNN’s Dana Bash said Trump told her the Iranians “should now come to the table” and get a deal done. And Trump told NBC News that Iranian officials are “calling me to speak” but didn’t provide further detail.
Trump also spoke Friday with British Prime Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron about the evolving situation, as well as Netanyahu.
Meanwhile, oil prices leapt and stocks fell on worries that the escalating violence could impact the flow of crude around the world, along with the global economy.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, offered rare words of Democratic praise for the Trump administration after the attack “for prioritizing diplomacy” and “refraining from participating” in the military strikes. But he also expressed deep concern about what the Israeli strikes could mean for US personnel in the region.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, who’s on Democrats’ shortlist for top 2028 White House contenders, said if Israel can set back Iran’s nuclear program with the strikes “it’s probably a good day for the world.”
“But make no mistake: We do not want an all-out war in the Middle East,” Shapiro said. “That’s not only bad for the Middle East, it’s destabilizing for the globe, and it’s something that I hope will not occur.”
Iran late Friday launched hundreds of ballistic missiles toward Israel after firing dozens of drones earlier in the day. The US military assisted Israel intercept the missiles fired by Iran in the retaliatory attack.
Trump, in the hours before the Israeli attack on Iran, still appeared hopeful in public comments that there would be more time for diplomacy.
But it was clear to the administration that Israel was edging toward taking military action against Iran. The State Department and US military on Wednesday directed a voluntary evacuation of nonessential personnel and their loved ones from some US diplomatic outposts in the Middle East.
Before Israel launched the strikes, some of Trump’s strongest supporters were raising concerns about what another expansive conflict in the Mideast could mean for the Republican president, who ran on a promise to quickly end the brutal wars in Gaza and Ukraine.
Trump has struggled to find an endgame to either of those conflicts and to make good on two of his biggest foreign policy campaign promises.
And after criticizing President Joe Biden during last year’s campaign for preventing Israel from carrying out strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Trump found himself making the case to the Israelis to give diplomacy a chance.
The push by the Trump administration to persuade Tehran to give up its nuclear program came after the US and other world powers in 2015 reached a long-term, comprehensive nuclear agreement that limited Tehran’s enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions.
But Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from the Obama administration-brokered agreement in 2018, calling it the “worst deal ever.”
The way forward is even more clouded now.
“No issue currently divides the right as much as foreign policy,” Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA and an ally of the Trump White House, posted on X on Thursday. “I’m very concerned based on (everything) I’ve seen in the grassroots the last few months that this will cause a massive schism in MAGA and potentially disrupt our momentum and our insanely successful Presidency.”
Netanyahu calls on Iranians to unite against ‘evil and oppressive regime’
- “As we achieve our objective, we are also clearing the path for you to achieve your freedom,” he said
- Iran called the attack “a declaration of war” and threatened to retaliate by opening “the gates of hell” on Israel
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Iranians Friday to unite against what he described as an “evil and oppressive regime,” telling them Israel was engaged in “one of the greatest military operations in history.”
“The time has come for the Iranian people to unite around its flag and its historic legacy, by standing up for your freedom from the evil and oppressive regime,” Netanyahu said in a video statement after Israel struck over 200 military and nuclear sites in the Islamic republic.
“We are in the midst of one of the greatest military operations in history, Operation Rising Lion,” he added.
“As we achieve our objective, we are also clearing the path for you to achieve your freedom,” he said, referring to Israeli strikes that hit targets across Iran, including nuclear sites, killing several top military commanders and nuclear scientists.
“The regime does not know what hit them, or what will hit them. It has never been weaker,” Netanyahu said in his video published shortly after a salvo of Iranian missiles reached Israel.
“Our fight is against the murderous Islamic regime that oppresses and impoverishes you,” he said, adding: “This is your opportunity to stand up and let your voices be heard.”
Netanyahu also promised that “more is on the way,” having said earlier that Israel’s attack on Iran would “continue for as many days as it takes.”
Iran called the attack “a declaration of war” and threatened to retaliate by opening “the gates of hell” on Israel.
It first sent about 100 drones toward Israel, many of which were intercepted before reaching the country.
The drones were followed by dozens of missiles, some of which caused physical damage in Israeli cities, and injured at least seven people, according to first responders.
