Iraq will not be negatively affected by the weakening of Iran's influence in the Middle East, Iraq's deputy parliament speaker said, with Baghdad looking to chart its own diplomatic path in the region and limit the power of armed groups.

A fire at Iraq's Rumaila oilfield was brought under control on Friday, the country's oil ministry said in a statement, adding that there were no serious injuries.

Iran holds tremendous sway inside Iraq despite the presence of US troops, setting up a tug-of-war for the incoming Trump administration.

Thousands of Shiite pilgrims are marching in Iraq dressed in black, heading on foot toward the golden twin-domed shrine of Imam Moussa al-Kadhim in the northwestern Baghdad district of al-Kadhimiyah.

A fire broke out at a crude processing unit at Iraq's Rumaila oilfield on Friday and fire crews were trying to bring it under control, three energy sources told Reuters. Operations at the field have not been affected,

Kyan Café, a coffee chain from Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia, has opened its first outlet in Iraq, marking expansionin into the Middle East.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will visit Iraq on Sunday for talks with officials on the fight against Kurdish militants, security issues and bilateral ties, a Turkish diplomatic source said on Saturday.

Iraq’s parliament has approved new legislation that would lower the minimum age of marriage below 18, a shift rights groups say will legalize “child rape” in Iraq. The new law gives religious authorities more power over matters of marriage,

The ongoing oil dispute between Baghdad and Kurdistan intensifies as US intervention sparks backlash and highlights the power struggle over oil resources and regional autonomy.

Iraqi lawmakers have passed amendments that give courts more authority in family matters, the Associated Press reported, and critics are concerned the move may spark a rise in child marriages. Newsweek contacted Iraq's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment via email outside normal business hours.

The Kurdistan Regional Government’s prime minister said he was “surprised” by changes to an approved plan for oil production costs and the Iraqi parliament not voting on it this week, potentially creating a fresh hurdle in restarting exports that have been halted for almost two years.

Outrage after Iraq passes controversial law allowing child marriage for girls as young as nine, sparking concerns of legalizing child rape.