Shafaq News- Saladin

An 82-year-old survivor of Iraq’s Anfal campaign who lost all seven of her children, including six sons and a daughter, died on Monday in Tuz Khurmatu, Saladin province, a medical source told Shafaq News.

Halawa Ali, a former prisoner at the notorious Nugrat Al-Salman prison, had lived with the loss for nearly 38 years, the source said.

Carried out by Saddam Hussein’s government against Kurdish communities in 1988, the Anfal campaign involved mass killings, disappearances, forced displacement, and the destruction of villages. The Iraqi High Tribunal, established after Saddam’s removal to prosecute senior officials of his government, later ruled that the atrocities constituted genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.

Human Rights Watch estimates that between 50,000 and 100,000 Kurdish civilians were killed. Many victims were taken to remote areas of southern Iraq and buried in mass graves, which Iraqi and Kurdish authorities continue to excavate to recover and identify their remains.

Read more: Public opinion is absent from the Anfal crimes anniversary

Shafaq News- Basrah

Iraq’s Basrah crude prices fell by around 5% on Tuesday, despite gains in benchmark crude futures.

Basrah Heavy crude slid $3.97, or 5.36%, to $70.15 per barrel, while Basrah Medium crude dropped 5.08% to $74.15 per barrel.

Brent crude futures rose $0.03, or 0.03%, to $104.8 per barrel. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude gained $0.20, or 0.21%, to $96.66 per barrel.

The OPEC reference basket stood at $115.86 per barrel, up 2.67%.

Shafaq News- Washington

US President Donald Trump warned that Washington could launch further strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, suggesting American forces could carry out another operation within an hour.

Speaking on Fox News’ Hannity on Monday, Trump referred to Operation Midnight Hammer, the 2025 US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, before raising the possibility of renewed action. “Now we might have to go after Pickaxe, but that’s not a big deal,” he said, referring to Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site. “We can do it. And literally we can do that in one hour.”

Trump defended the earlier operation, accusing Tehran of pursuing nuclear weapons and supporting “terrorism.” Citing the late Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani and alleged Iranian involvement in attacks on American personnel, he said, “We cannot let them have a nuclear weapon.”

He also downplayed the conflict, arguing that Iran was “not [in] a good negotiating position.” “This isn’t a war. This is a very soft war. We did have a big hit on them, and we hit them very hard.”

Read more: Qatar intensifies mediation over US-Iran agreement

Earlier on Monday, the US carried out limited strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island near the Strait of Hormuz, according to The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. US officials described the strikes as defensive measures against Iranian threats to American aircraft, while the Journal reported that other recent operations aimed to prevent attacks on commercial shipping without signaling a broader military campaign.

Iranian media reported several explosions on Qeshm Island, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have shot down an advanced US drone and seized two others in separate operations near the Strait of Hormuz.

Shafaq News

Oil prices edged up on Tuesday after a report that the United States had struck Iran's Qeshm ​Island, raising concerns about an escalation of the eight-month conflict and prolonged disruptions to Middle ‌East oil supplies.

US West Texas Intermediate crude was up 20 cents, or 0.21%, at $96.66 a barrel while Brent crude futures rose 3 cents, or 0.03%, to $104.8 a barrel by 0355 GMT.

Both benchmark prices dropped more than 7% on Monday as talks between Iranian and ​Qatari officials lifted hopes for an end to the US-Israeli war with Iran.

The United States struck Iran's ​Qeshm Island, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing US officials. Some of the officials ⁠described the assaults as defensive in nature to prevent Iran from having the freedom to attack commercial ships ​in the Strait of Hormuz.

"The report added a degree of risk premium back into the oil price. Just ​when markets were starting to price in a more diplomatic path, this reminder of ongoing military activity has flipped the tone," said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade.

However, the inability of prices to sustain those gains suggests that a substantial ​geopolitical risk premium is already embedded in oil prices, said Priyanka Sachdeva, head of market insight at Phillip ​Nova.

"Unless there is concrete evidence of further disruption to physical supplies or critical energy infrastructure, fresh headlines alone may struggle ‌to sustain ⁠another rally."

Meanwhile, Tehran said on Monday that contacts between Iran and the US to end their war are continuing, after days of Iranian talks with Qatari mediators ended with altered proposals but no breakthrough.

Trump raised doubts on Monday about whether he would follow through on a threatened resumption of military strikes against Iran and said a deal ​with Tehran could happen.

The ​US-Iran conflict that began in ⁠late February has sharply reduced traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which previously carried about a fifth of global crude oil and natural gas supplies.

The Iran war ​is a leading cause of high gasoline prices that are weighing on voters, ​and Trump is ⁠under pressure to end the conflict.

Brent ended October at its highest in six months on concerns that the Middle East conflict could escalate again after Tuesday's US midterm elections.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei ⁠had granted ​the government certain authorities for peace talks.

Additionally, the US will bring together ​delegations from Ukraine and Russia in Abu Dhabi on November 10 to 11 to discuss ending Moscow's war against Ukraine, post-war security agreements ​and de-escalation.

(Reuters)

Only the headline is edited by Shafaq News.

Shafaq News- Najaf

A wall that once guarded Najaf against raids and attacks now survives in fragments, squeezed between shops and hotels in the heart of the old city.

More than 100 meters of Najaf’s last wall remain along Al-Sudair Street, much of it hidden behind commercial storefronts, with only a few sections rising high enough to reveal traces of the fortification.

Historical researcher and consulting engineer Tahseen Ammara told Shafaq News on Monday that Najaf’s old walls provide important evidence of the city’s development over the centuries.

Reconstructing the history of the walls requires comparing historical sources, old maps and photographs with the surviving urban fabric of the old city, Ammara explained, particularly because accounts differ over the locations and construction dates of some fortifications.

He noted that walls in traditional Islamic cities were not simply barriers but defensive systems comprising thick fortifications, towers and main gates, sometimes reinforced by surrounding trenches.

Najaf’s final wall began to take shape around 1802 and was completed around 1811. It featured defensive towers, a surrounding trench, and gates, while its height added to its defensive strength. Historical photographs —including one dating to 1918— document parts of the wall and architectural details that have since disappeared.

Six Walls

Historical accounts identify six principal walls associated with different stages of Najaf’s history, although researchers differ over some dates and details and distinguish between walls surrounding the city and fortifications built to protect the Imam Ali shrine or specific areas.

The first wall is attributed to Muhammad ibn Zayd Al-Da'i Al-Alawi, ruler of Tabaristan, and is generally dated to around 900–901. A second is linked to Abu Al-Hayja Abdullah ibn Hamdan Al-Hamdani around 924–925.

A third wall dates to the Buyid era and is attributed to Adud Al-Dawla Fana-Khusraw ibn Buya, generally between 977 and 983. The fourth is attributed to Abu Muhammad Al-Hassan ibn Sahlan, a Buyid minister, around 1009–1010. The fifth is linked to Sultan Uways Al-Jalayiri in the 14th century, though its precise construction date remains uncertain.

The sixth and final wall is attributed to Hajj Muhammad Hussein Al-Allaf Al-Isfahani, known as Nizam Al-Dawla. Historical accounts place the beginning of construction in 1802–1803 and its completion in 1811–1812.

Ammara called for documenting the surviving sections through field surveys and comparing the findings with historical maps, photographs, and written sources, while drawing on the experience of Arab and Islamic cities that have restored historic walls and integrated them into modern urban life. “Preserving historical walls does not conflict with the development and expansion of cities,” he said, adding that proper planning can protect heritage while allowing residents to continue their daily lives and helping preserve Najaf’s history for future generations.

Mohammed Hadi Al-Mayali, director of the Najaf Antiquities and Heritage Inspectorate, told Shafaq News that the wall warrants protection and further study, pointing out that “its characteristics could be assessed against UNESCO criteria, which could strengthen efforts to preserve Najaf’s architectural heritage.”

Read more: Discover Iraq: Najaf, a city of dust and divinity

Shafaq News- Basra

Former security guards at Italian energy company Eni's projects in Iraq's Basra province have sought international legal assistance to recover unpaid employment benefits and pursue alleged labor violations following the loss of more than 450 jobs, a workers' representative told Shafaq News on Monday.

Ahmed Mohammed said a delegation of former employees had met with an organization affiliated with the International Code of Conduct Association (ICoCA), presenting documents and information detailing alleged violations concerning their employment and financial entitlements.

The organization assigned a lawyer to pursue the case and initiate the necessary legal proceedings, Mohammed said, adding that it was also contacting ICoCA directly to ensure the complaints were addressed per human rights and international compliance standards.

The dispute began after a security contract held by IGES expired on August 8, 2026, leaving more than 450 guards who had worked at Eni's Zubair oilfield projects without jobs, according to Mohammed.

He said the company that took over the security contract had not rehired the former guards despite negotiations, with disagreements over salaries and employment conditions preventing a settlement.

Shafaq News- Damascus

A patrol from the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) traveled through several villages in the Yarmouk Basin in Syria's western Daraa countryside on Monday, during continued Israeli military incursions in the area.

A Shafaq News correspondent reported that the patrol departed from its base in Tal Abu al-Ghaithar and headed toward Wadi al-Raqqad before passing through the villages of Jamla, Abdin and Maariyah. It then returned to its base along the same route.

The patrol came after repeated Israeli military incursions into the Yarmouk Basin, particularly around Maariyah, Abdin, Jamla and Wadi al-Raqqad. In recent days, Israeli military vehicles have entered villages and moved through areas bordering the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Earlier on Monday, a Shafaq News correspondent reported that three Israeli military vehicles entered Maariyah and headed toward Abdin, following similar incursions over the previous two days.

Read more: Israeli incursions, shelling in Syria hit 2026 highs

Established in 1974 following the disengagement agreement between Syria and Israel, UNDOF monitors the ceasefire and supervises implementation of the agreement in the area of separation between the two sides.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi judokas won three medals, one silver and two bronze, at the Amman Asian Cadet Cup in Jordan on Monday, according to results published by the International Judo Federation (IJF).

Lyan Al-Jabali secured silver in the women's 52kg category, while Ritaj Al-Jabali took bronze in the same division. Hussein Salah Al-Furaiji added another bronze in the men's 60kg category.

The results followed Iraq's participation in the Amman Asian Open on October 28, when Mohammed Sattar won silver and Hussein Raad took bronze in the men's 73kg category.

Amman is hosting a series of Asian judo competitions, including senior, junior and cadet events, bringing together athletes from across the continent.

Shafaq News- Tehran/ Washington

Qatari mediators continued efforts on Monday to secure an agreement between Washington and Tehran, while US President Donald Trump said he was in no rush to decide whether to resume military operations against Iran.

Reuters reported that Iranian and US contacts were continuing through mediators after several days of consultations in Doha ended without a breakthrough. A draft agreement was being circulated, with further discussions possible.

According to Axios, Qatari mediators prepared a proposal outlining three days of confidence-building measures intended to restart direct US-Iran negotiations. Qatari mediator Ali al-Thawadi traveled to Tehran on Monday to continue discussions, while mediators awaited responses from both sides.

In a telephone interview with Axios, Trump said Washington would eventually take action but did not need to rush, arguing that US economic pressure had severely weakened Iran.

The report said Trump was considering three approaches: pursuing a diplomatic agreement, resuming military operations or maintaining economic pressure without returning to war or reaching an immediate deal.

Vice President JD Vance and US envoy Steve Witkoff favored a negotiated settlement, with support from several Gulf countries, according to Axios. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth supported renewed military action, while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and Secretary of State Marco Rubio favored continuing economic pressure.

On the Iranian side, President Masoud Pezeshkian said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had authorized the government to pursue a diplomatic solution.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said diplomatic contacts had intensified, highlighting Qatar's and Pakistan's mediation efforts. He reiterated that progress depended on Washington addressing Tehran's conditions, including those concerning the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Russia and China have also called for a diplomatic resolution, while Moscow has offered to participate in possible nuclear arrangements, including hosting Iran's enriched uranium stockpile.

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iranian state media reported several explosions near Qeshm Island in southern Iran on Monday, while the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed to have intercepted US drones in separate operations near the Strait of Hormuz.

The official IRNA news agency cited local sources who said the explosions appeared to come from the sea. Their cause was unclear, and there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

In separate statements carried by Iranian media, the IRGC reported using air defense and electronic warfare systems against American unmanned aircraft operating near the strategic waterway.

Iranian forces have previously claimed to have intercepted MQ-9 Reaper drones and seized MQM-170 aircraft near Qeshm. The United States has disputed some of Tehran's claims about captured drones.

The MQ-9 Reaper is used for surveillance, reconnaissance and airstrikes, while the MQM-170 Outlaw is primarily designed to simulate aerial threats during military training and air defense testing.

Shafaq News- Middle East

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday reaffirmed his commitment to forming a broad coalition government with his political allies.

Speaking to reporters, Netanyahu said Israelis did not want a government dependent on the United Arab List (Ra'am) and the Joint List, accusing both Arab-led parties of “supporting terrorism.”

"From the first day, we extended our hand to form a broad national government," Netanyahu said, arguing that a clear majority of Jewish voters had chosen Likud as the largest party and backed him to lead the next government.

Asked whether he would participate in a future government, Netanyahu said, "Any government you want me to be part of, I will lead."

Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that former military chief and Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot's prospects of being tasked with forming the next government had strengthened after Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman announced on Monday that he would recommend Eisenkot to President Isaac Herzog.

Lieberman's party won seven seats in the 120-member Knesset in last week's election. Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats, while the Jewish-led opposition won 48 and the two Arab-led parties gained 19, leaving neither main bloc with a parliamentary majority.

Netanyahu's allies had hoped to win Lieberman's support despite his criticism of Eisenkot. However, Lieberman ruled out joining a Netanyahu-led government and rejected a minority administration dependent on Arab parties.

Herzog is scheduled to begin consultations with parliamentary factions on Wednesday before deciding whom to task with forming the next government.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Around 350 Iraqi citizens are being held in Syrian prisons, with joint Iraqi-Syrian committees expected to address their cases, an informed source told Shafaq News on Monday.

The detainees are being held in several prisons across Syria, the source said, adding that most were convicted of entering Damascus without official entry visas, while others face various minor charges.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi discussed the issue with Syrian transitional President Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the source noted, clarifying that specialized committees would be formed to examine the charges against the detainees, their sentences, and possible measures to resolve their cases.

A few days earlier, al-Zaidi and al-Sharaa chaired expanded talks between delegations from the two countries in Damascus, where they discussed several issues, including the export of Iraqi oil through the Baniyas pipeline, which has an export capacity of up to two million barrels per day.

The discussions also covered expanding trade between the two countries and strengthening cooperation in agriculture to achieve food and economic integration.

Last month, Head of Iraq's Border Ports Commission, Lieutenant General Omar Adnan al-Waeli, announced the release of all Iraqi tanker truck drivers detained in Syria.

According to the commission, all 15 Iraqi drivers, who had been held by Syrian authorities over violations committed while transporting fuel oil by tanker trucks, were released.

The commission had also announced on Sunday, September 27, 2026, the release of 59 Iraqi drivers detained in Syria and their exemption from outstanding financial fines, according to an official statement.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) on Monday announced an increase in the cash dollar allowance for travelers from $2,000 to $3,000, effective Nov. 3, 2026.

In a statement, the bank said eligible travelers could obtain the allowance once every two months, up to six times a year, under existing regulations.

On Sunday, CBI denied reports that it had raised the allowance from $2,000 to $3,500. The bank’s Media Director Haider Ghazi told Shafaq News that a document circulating on social media claiming the allowance would rise to $3,500 was forged, confirming that no such decision had been issued.

The fake document, attributed to the bank's Banking Supervision Department, claimed the increase would take effect on Monday, November 2. The CBI rejected the claim, reaffirming its commitment to the regulations in force at the time.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

The Coordination Framework, a coalition of Shiite political forces in Iraq, has intervened to contain an escalating dispute between former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and State of Law Coalition leader Nouri al-Maliki, informed sources told Shafaq News on Monday.

A mediation by Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the National Wisdom Movement, in coordination with Hadi al-Ameri, head of the Badr Organization, helped ease tensions between the two political figures, the sources said.

The rivalry began after the latest parliamentary elections, when al-Sudani and al-Maliki competed over the right to form the next government. According to the sources, the dispute continued until the Coordination Framework agreed to nominate al-Zaidi for the premiership.

Recent verbal confrontations between leaders and lawmakers from the two camps further intensified the dispute, turning their political competition into an open public disagreement.

State of Law Coalition figures called for holding al-Sudani accountable over alleged damage to public funds. In response, members of al-Sudani's Reconstruction and Development Coalition called for al-Maliki to face trial over the fall of several Iraqi provinces to ISIS in 2014 and the killing of thousands of soldiers in the Speicher massacre.

The sources said the accusations angered both sides and fueled public exchanges, despite an understanding among political leaders against referring former prime ministers to the judiciary unless they were directly responsible for causing harm or committing a crime.

They added that some parties had attempted to deepen divisions between influential Coordination Framework leaders and weaken the alliance, but those efforts failed. Leaders within the Shiite political establishment had agreed that internal disputes would not affect the framework's overall political direction or operations, the sources said.

The dispute also drew public statements from figures affiliated with both camps.

Khalid al-Marsoumi, a member of al-Sudani's Coalition, called for al-Maliki to stand trial, saying he should serve as "an example for those who destroyed society."

Hisham al-Rikabi, director of the media office of the State of Law Coalition leader, rejected the calls, saying: "Enough hypocrisy and political grandstanding. Those speaking today about the fall of provinces and sectarian strife should stop exploiting the suffering of Iraqis in their political disputes."

Shafaq News- Sanaa

Houthi (Ansarallah) forces have advanced to within 80 kilometres of Aden, the temporary capital of Yemen's internationally recognized government, Reuters reported on Monday, citing four military sources.

According to the sources, the advance brings the Houthis closer to Aden than at any point since the early months of the war in 2015, when they briefly entered the city before being driven out.

Meanwhile, Yemen's government forces said they were continuing operations against the Houthis in Taiz and repelling attacks by the group.

On Sunday, the government military said it had carried out 1,272 operations against Houthi positions, targeting fighters, reinforcements, fortifications and supply routes.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

The Iraqi parliament's Integrity Committee plans to track files concerning exemptions granted under the previous government of Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani and alleged irregularities in the estimated costs of investment projects, a member of the committee, Hamed Al-Fatlawi, told Shafaq News on Monday.

Political disagreements among parliamentary blocs over the selection of committee chairs and their deputies had prevented the appointment of a head for the Integrity Committee, he added, noting that the disagreements also affected leadership positions in other parliamentary committees.

He said the failure to appoint committee heads was affecting their work and oversight performance. A parliamentary session was expected next week to vote on committee chairs and members, he said. “A session scheduled for last week was postponed because of a lack of political agreement.”

Regarding the investigations, Al-Fatlawi said the committee was examining files involving exemptions granted by the previous government and investment projects that had experienced "inflated cost estimates."

The committee intended to open these files in the coming period, he confirmed, indicating that the Integrity Committee had hosted several officials and representatives of the Federal Board of Supreme Audit to review information and reports concerning ministry projects for 2024 and 2025. “The reports received by the committee had identified numerous violations.”

Al-Fatlawi stressed that the committee would continue pursuing corruption cases and that its oversight activities were not tied to a specific timetable, adding that investigations would continue in the coming days.

The issue of investment exemptions granted under Al-Sudani's government has previously drawn widespread controversy and criticism from oversight and legal circles.

Last year, former Integrity Committee member Hadi Al-Salami said in a televised interview that Al-Sudani's government, the Higher Investment Committee, and the Council of Ministers had granted approximately 400 exemptions from laws and regulations to investment companies without requiring public announcements or tender procedures.

Shafaq News- Nineveh

Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) reached an agreement several days earlier to allow displaced residents of five Arab villages in Nineveh’s Rabia subdistrict to return to their homes and farmland, provincial council member Saadoun Al-Shammari told Shafaq News on Monday.

The villagers were forced to flee after ISIS seized their areas in 2014 and had been unable to return to their property since 2017. Most have been living in Rabia town and other parts of Mosul, many in deteriorating mud-brick houses and under difficult living conditions, according to Al-Shammari.

He criticized “the lack of government support and a weak response from international and humanitarian organizations,” saying the families have suffered for nearly a decade without compensation for homes destroyed during their prolonged displacement or damage to their crops.

Al-Shammari said the provincial government would coordinate with Baghdad to pursue compensation for affected families and rehabilitate their villages, describing the agreement as an important step toward ending displacement and restoring stability.

On September 9, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said more than one million Iraqis remained internally displaced and needed housing, livelihoods, official documentation and basic services, despite millions having returned to their home areas.

Read more: Iraq’s Displacement: war-driven migration to climate-induced pressures

Shafaq News- Riyadh

Saudi Arabia's local organizing committee is expected to meet Asian Football Confederation (AFC) representatives on November 15 to review preparations for the 2027 Asian Cup amid uncertainty over a possible postponement, Saudi newspaper Arriyadiyah reported on Monday.

According to the newspaper, the AFC has made no decision to postpone the tournament, and preparations are continuing for its scheduled January 7 to February 5 date, but the planned meeting would assess regional developments and their implications for the competition before determining the next steps.

The planned review follows Houthi (Ansarallah) attacks on Saudi Arabia that have disrupted sporting events and raised concerns about the tournament's security. AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa said on October 14 that the competition could be postponed to 2028 if necessary, adding that the confederation could wait until the end of November before making a decision.

Separately, sports outlet Winwin reported on October 31, citing unnamed sources, that the competition was moving toward a one-year postponement, although no official decision had been announced. Saudi Arabia's local organizing committee said on October 15 that preparations remained on schedule, while Japan Football Association President Tsuneyasu Miyamoto said on October 23 that Saudi officials had emphasized the safety of players and spectators.

Despite the uncertainty, the AFC finalized the tournament's match schedule on October 26, confirming Saudi Arabia's opening fixture against Palestine at King Fahd Sports City Stadium in Riyadh. The 24-team competition is scheduled across eight stadiums in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al-Khobar, marking Saudi Arabia's first time hosting the continental championship.

Shafaq News- Kirkuk

Angry protesters blocked the main highway connecting Kirkuk and Erbil near Altun Kupri on Monday over high private generator subscription fees, while generator owners shut down their units in protest against a provincial council decision to reduce prices.

The blockade left hundreds of trucks and cars stranded, with long queues forming along the highway and traffic between the two provinces brought to a standstill in both directions.

Protester Mahmoud Zaki told Shafaq News that residents had taken to the streets because generator fees were placing an additional financial burden on households, particularly low-income families.

Another demonstrator, Hassan Jalil, called on local authorities to introduce more affordable rates and respond to residents' demands.

A Shafaq News correspondent reported that private generator owners had collectively shut down their units in opposition to the Kirkuk Provincial Council's decision to reduce the monthly subscription price from 18,000 dinars (about $10.73) to 13,000 dinars (about $7.75) per ampere.

Earlier on Monday, the council approved the lower rate through the end of November, following protests over generator prices the previous evening.

Council Chairman Mohammed Ibrahim al-Hafidh said the decision was part of broader measures to regulate private generators and address fuel supply problems.

The council also agreed to formally request a 30% increase in Kirkuk's oil and gas allocations from the federal Oil Ministry.

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has granted the government certain powers to pursue solutions through dialogue, President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday.

Pezeshkian told reporters war would benefit no one and that Iran's adversaries could not force the country to surrender through military action. Tehran will also firmly resist the "enemy's lies and excessive demands" while seeking to resolve disputes through dialogue.

Separately, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran's conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz were "clear" and that accepting them would allow maritime traffic to resume and negotiations to restart. Consultations through Qatari and Pakistani mediators remained intensive, he added, and Tehran was more prepared than ever for both a military response and diplomacy.

In an interview with Al Jazeera over the weekend, Araghchi outlined a revised two-day proposal under which Washington would take the required measures on the first day, allowing Iran to reopen Hormuz on the second. Tehran's demands include ending the US blockade of Iranian ports, lifting sanctions imposed after the June 17 Islamabad memorandum, restoring oil waivers, and reducing US military forces in the region. However, the latest mediated discussions had produced no agreement by Monday, according to Iran's Foreign Ministry.

On October 31, Khamenei directed Iran's armed forces to respond to threats at any level without geographical restrictions, describing combat readiness as essential to deterrence. The diplomatic efforts precede Tuesday's US midterm elections. Axios reported, citing Israeli and US sources, that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was pressing President Donald Trump to resume strikes on Iran immediately after the vote, while Trump preferred to give negotiations more time.

Shafaq News- Tehran

An oil tanker caught fire after striking a naval mine in a “restricted and unsafe” area east of the Strait of Hormuz, the Iranian navy said on Monday.

In a statement, the navy said the tanker had switched off its navigation systems, urging tanker owners to heed the fate of vessels that disabled their identification systems to cross prohibited areas.

Sailing through high-risk waters without coordination could result in mine strikes and fires, it warned.

Earlier today, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency reported that a tanker traveling southeast through the Arabian Gulf was struck by two unidentified projectiles on its port side, about 72 nautical miles east of Saudi Arabia's Ras Al-Khafji. All crew members were accounted for, and no environmental impact had been reported, the agency said.

UKMTO WARNING 192-26 Click here to view the full warning⤵️ https://t.co/ajUF17Fa2w #MaritimeSecurity #MarSec https://t.co/lv9hNEFBn6

— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) November 2, 2026

Iran has restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz since the US-Israeli war against the country began on February 28. On October 28, US Central Command (CENTCOM) claimed that all internationally recognized primary transit routes through the strait remained clear of naval mines, rejecting Iranian reports of commercial vessels striking mines.

Shafaq News- Damascus

Three Israeli military vehicles entered Maariyah village in western Daraa countryside on Monday and headed toward the nearby village of Abdin in the Yarmouk Basin, a Shafaq News correspondent reported.

The incursion came a day after five Israeli vehicles entered the area between Abdin and Jamla before withdrawing shortly afterward, the correspondent said. Also on Sunday, Israeli forces detained a Syrian civilian, Zaidan Al-Hussein, while he was harvesting olives in Wadi Koya in the Yarmouk Basin. His whereabouts remain unknown.

The Yarmouk Basin, in western Daraa countryside, includes villages such as Jamla, Abdin and Maariyah near the borders with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and Jordan.

SOHR recorded 182 Israeli incursions into Syrian territory in October. Between Oct. 22 and 31 alone, the Sijil Center, which monitors Israeli military activity in Syria, documented at least 140 violations, 106 of them in Quneitra and 23 in Daraa.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Former Iraqi parliament speaker Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani is being sued over payments allegedly owed for election campaign advertising work, an informed source told Shafaq News, with a Baghdad court set to hear the case on Nov. 23.

The lawsuit was filed with the Karkh Court of First Instance by Mumin Mustafa Mahmoud. Al-Mashhadani has been summoned to appear in person or through a lawyer, and the court will proceed in his absence if he does not.

Al-Mashhadani could not immediately be reached for comment.

Shafaq News- Al-Sulaymaniyah

The Metro Center for Journalists’ Rights and Advocacy on Monday called for faster action to hold those responsible for killing journalists in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) accountable, marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.

The center said several major cases —including the killings of journalists Soran Mama Hama, Sardasht Osman, Kawa Garmiyani, Wedat Hussein, and Abdul Sattar Taher Sharif— were closed without identifying those involved or the masterminds behind the crimes. It urged authorities to reopen the cases and bring those responsible to justice.

According to UNESCO data cited by Metro, 166 journalists were killed worldwide in 2025 and 2026, while six out of every seven journalist killings went unpunished. Metro also cited UN reports showing that more than 1,700 journalists were killed worldwide between 2006 and 2024, with nearly 90% of the crimes going unpunished.

Read more: Iraq’s media and the price of false credentials

Shafaq News- Damascus

Kurdish residents have been visiting citizenship centers in Syria's Aleppo to complete procedures for obtaining Syrian nationality and identity cards under a January presidential decree, following decades of legal exclusion under the former government.

Bakr Abu Barkal told Shafaq News that his family had been denied citizenship because they were Kurdish, preventing them from obtaining passports, registering property in their names, and completing property and housing transactions. He has reached the fingerprinting stage of the identity card process, which he considers a step toward obtaining official proof of identity and citizenship.

Another applicant interviewed by Shafaq News, Hassan al-Khalil, from Ain al-Arab (Kobani), said he had remained without civil registration or official identity documents until the age of 42. He was forced to leave school in sixth grade after being told he was unregistered, ending his education at an early age, he added.

Speaking to Shafaq News, Abdullah al-Khatib, head of Aleppo's Fourth Civil Affairs Department center, said the application period had been extended to help Kurdish families in camps and remote areas complete their procedures despite transportation and logistical difficulties. He described the decree as a historic step toward addressing a longstanding legal problem that “deprived hundreds of thousands of Syrians of basic rights,” including identification, property ownership, employment, and health care.

The measure will “promote national unity, social cohesion, and equal citizenship.”

Transitional President Ahmed al-Sharaa issued Decree No. 13 on January 16, repealing exceptional measures stemming from a 1962 census in Al-Hasakah province and providing for Syrian citizenship for eligible residents of Kurdish origin, including those without civil registration. The decree also recognizes Kurdish as a national language and designates Nowruz, celebrated on March 21, as an official public holiday.

According to UNHCR, Syrian authorities had received 2,892 family applications covering 10,516 individuals by May 22. On October 12, Syria's General Directorate of Civil Affairs announced an October 18 to 29 period for applicants who missed earlier appointments to complete their citizenship procedures at designated centers, including one in Aleppo.