STORY: Thousands of supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite leader, Muqtada al-Sadr, held peaceful mass demonstrations on Saturday (April 4) in Basra and Baghdad, to protest against the U.S. presence in the region as the Israeli and U.S. war on Iran enters its 6th week causing chaos in the Middle East.

Iraqi health authorities claim at least 108 people have been killed since the start of the crisis. Those include civilians, members of the Iran-affiliated Shi'ite Popular Mobilisation Forces, U.S.-allied Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, police and army.

Iraq closed the Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran on Saturday after airstrikes on the Iranian side killed an Iraqi citizen, security sources said on Saturday, shutting off a vital supply artery.

And two drones hit the country's Rumaila north oilfield wounding three Iraqi workers, security and energy sources said.

U.S. President Donald Trump has sent mixed messages since the conflict began with a U.S.-Israeli bombardment of Iran on February 28, switching between hinting at diplomatic progress to making threats to bomb the Islamic Republic "back to the Stone Ages".

On Saturday, he repeated his threats to intensify attacks on Iran if it failed to reach a deal or open the key Strait of Hormuz waterway.

Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command said Iraq would be exempt from any restrictions on transit through the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian media reported on Saturday, signalling preferential treatment for Baghdad as Tehran tightens control over the strategic waterway.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: BASRA, IRAQ (APRIL 4, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all) (MUTE)

1. VARIOUS OF DRONE SHOTS OF PROTEST INCLUDING TOP VIEW OF GIANT IRAQI FLAG

BAGHDAD, IRAQ (APRIL 4, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

2. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS IN AL TAHRIR SQUARE, WAVING IRAQI FLAGS

3. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PROTESTER, ALI AL-SHUWAILI, SAYING:

"The massive demonstration rejects the American and Zionist aggression against Iraq and the Islamic and Arab countries. We also reject the American presence in the region and demand that the international community take a decisive stand against the attacks on Arab and Islamic countries."

4. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS IN SQUARE FROM ABOVE

5. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING FLAGS AND CHANTING

6. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS IN SQUAREFROM ABOVE