Shafaq News..CMC warns analyst, extends another's ban

2026-09-08T16:21:35+00:00 Shafaq News- Baghdad Iraq's Communications and Media Commission (CMC) warned political analyst Abdullah al-Khuraybit on Tuesday over 'unprofessional statements' and extended a media ban on another analyst, Auras al-Hamad al-Mashhadani. The warning followed remarks al-Khuraybit made on the talk show "Qabil lil-Jadal" (Debatable), broadcast on Al-Arabiya. On the program, Al-Khuraybit said Iraqis had long seen Iran for what it was, while others were only now beginning to do so, and described it as "madness in a bottle." He added that Iran had allies inside Iraq who posed a danger, and that Iraq had spent eight years fighting that threat on its own. The commission also extended al-Mashhadani's existing media ban by another 15 days. "Any outlet that hosts him would bear full legal responsibility," it said, urging broadcasters and their guests to keep to professional standards. Read more: Can Iraq's free press survive its politically-tainted rulers?