By Maha El Dahan, Timour Azhari and Humeyra Pamuk DUBAI/WASHINGTON, Jan 23 - Washington has threatened senior Iraqi politicians with sanctions targeting the Iraqi state - including potentially its critical oil revenues - should armed groups backed by Iran be included in the next government,

Abu Hussein al‑Hamidawi, leader of Iraqi armed group, says war against Iran will not be a ‘walk in the park’.

Two Iranian-backed militias in the Middle East are signaling their readiness to launch new attacks. The move seems to support Iran, which is concerned as a U.S. aircraft carrier has reached the region.

Iran’s so-called axis of resistance, its regional network of armed proxies and allied militant groups, could come to the fray to provide additional firepower to Tehran in the event of a conflict with the United States,

Maliki's bid for Iraqi PM role as Secretary of State Marco Rubio expresses concerns about pro-Tehran government seizing control of Iraq.

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Nearly 5,000 volunteers in Iraq’s Diyala province have signed a pledge to serve as a reserve force to support Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq and the Islamic Republic of Iran,

Baghdad says it is holding talks with both sides to avert war and shield region from escalation - Anadolu Ajansı