Basra council speaker receives MPs at provincial airport for cooperation talks

BASRA, Iraq — The speaker of the Basra Provincial Council, Halef Lette al-Badran, together with council Security Committee head Aqeel al-Feriji, received two members of Iraq's parliament at Basra International Airport on Saturday, June 20, 2026. The visiting lawmakers were Hanan Fetlawi and Baha al-Areji, who heads the Reconstruction and Development Bloc. According to a statement from the provincial council's press unit, the visit was arranged to strengthen joint cooperation and to address service and development files affecting Basra. The airport reception was followed by meetings in the city, the statement said. The council said the talks were intended to prepare the ground for discussions on Basra's infrastructure and service needs. No further details on the agenda or outcomes of the meetings were immediately available.