Tradition and worry at an iftar gathering near the Iran-Iraq border in photos

March 17, 2026Updated: March 17, 2026
AP nullBy LEO CORREA

GULP, Iraq (AP) — At the foot of the mountains along Iraq’s border with Iran, a Kurdish family gathers in the village of Gulp, near Halabja, to prepare iftar, the evening meal that breaks the daily fast during Ramadan.

As children play and relatives come together to mark the final days of the holy month, the warmth of the gathering is tempered by concern just across the border.

Nyan Fayaq worries for her relatives in Iran’s Kurdish city of Saqqez, whom she has not been able to reach for a month.

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This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.