Shafaq News- Baghdad

An Iraqi government team has proposed wide-ranging measuresto curb public spending under the 2027 federal budget, including examining thepossibility of merging some independent bodies and reviewing salaries ofcertain groups and pension payments to some officials, a government source toldShafaq News on Monday.

The team, tasked by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi withassessing the financial crisis and proposing solutions, has submitted a seriesof recommendations in coordination with the parliamentary legal committee toease pressure on state finances and limit unnecessary spending, the sourcesaid. The proposals include reviewing the oil sector and crude oil exportprocedures, merging some independent bodies, tightening oversight of dollartransactions, cutting government spending, and reviewing salaries for certaingroups and pension payments to some officials.

According to the source, to avoid political controversy oversome of the proposed measures, the team is seeking to include a generalprovision in the 2027 budget bill allowing the government to defer financiallyburdensome obligations and measures during the coming fiscal year, providedthis does not negatively affect the public interest.

Such a provision would give the government greaterflexibility to manage spending and set priorities based on available financialresources, while avoiding specific measures that could spark political disputesor objections from affected groups, the source noted.

The draft budget bill is expected to be referred toparliament soon for consideration. If the proposed spending cuts are approved,government spending is expected to fall significantly next year, the sourcesaid.

Iraq’s public finances face mounting pressure from decliningoil revenues and disruptions to crude exports, alongside rising operatingcosts, particularly salaries for public-sector employees and pensioners andspending on social protection programs.

On September 27, the Ministerial Council for the Economyapproved the draft 2027 federal budget and referred it to the Council ofMinisters. The Cabinet has yet to give final approval before the bill is sentto parliament.

Preliminary figures put total expenditure at about 217 trilliondinars, with a projected deficit of 50 trillion dinars. The draft assumes anoil price of $58 per barrel. 

Read more: $45B deficit looms over Iraq’s draft 2027 budget 

Shafaq News- Baghdad

The United States is movingtoward a broader relationship with Iraq focused on “economic cooperation andshared interests,” US President Donald Trump’s envoy to Syria and Iraq, TomBarrack, said on Monday.

Following a meeting with USChargé d’Affaires in Iraq Steve Fagin, Barrack praised the diplomat’s regionalexperience, saying it would help advance Trump’s priorities.

Great to visit Chargé d’Affaires Steve Fagin in Iraq. Steve’s deep experience in Iraq and across the region makes him a perfect fit to help advance @POTUS’s priorities. The right leadership at a pivotal moment for our relationship with Iraq as we transition from a security-focused partnership to a broader relationship grounded in economic cooperation and shared interests.

— Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye) October 12, 2026

The remarks came less than twoweeks after the US-led Global Coalition concluded its military mission in Iraqon Sept. 30, 2026, under an agreement announced by Baghdad and Washington inSeptember 2024, with both sides transitioning to bilateral securitycooperation, including intelligence sharing, training, and arms support.

Read more: US withdrawal opens new phase in Iraq’s political landscape

Shafaq News- Erbil

Iraq should move from its relationshipwith the US-led Coalition to bilateral security partnerships, former PrimeMinister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani urged on Monday, arguing that the country nolonger faces the threats that prompted international military intervention in2014.

Speaking at the Middle EastResearch Institute (MERI) Forum during a session titled “Governing Iraq:Lessons on Power, Compromise and Statehood,” Al-Sudani, who heads theReconstruction and Development Coalition (Al-Ima'ar wal-Tanmiya), recalled thatthe Coalition intervened at Baghdad’s request after ISIS seized large parts ofthe country. “Iraq in 2024 is not Iraq in 2014,” he remarked, questioning theneed for a military presence involving 86 countries after the group’s defeat.

While acknowledging theCoalition’s role in defeating ISIS, he said transitioning to bilateral securityties “would mark an achievement” rather than a break with Iraq’s internationalpartners.

Al-Sudani also dismissedconcerns over a potential security vacuum, questioning how the departure ofapproximately 2,500 Coalition advisers and their equipment could underminestability when Iraq has around one million personnel across its securityinstitutions.

Read more: Iraq's second US troop withdrawal shifts the test to armed factions

He outlined procurementagreements to strengthen air defenses, including advanced radar systems capableof detecting aircraft at high and low altitudes, while stressing the importanceof continued cooperation with the US and other partners on equipment,intelligence sharing, and training, particularly given Iraq’s reliance onUS-made military hardware.

The former premier also citeda field visit to Wadi Horan in western Al-Anbar province as evidence of Iraqiforces’ ability to control territory and secure national borders.

On weapons outside statecontrol, Al-Sudani said a timetable and disarmament process were already inplace, insisting that security decisions remain solely with the government. Herejected turning Iraq into an arena for regional rivalries, saying thatdecisions on war and peace belong exclusively to constitutional authorities.

Formed in 2014 to combat ISIS,the US-led Coalition concluded its military mission in Iraq on Sept. 30, 2026,under an agreement announced by Baghdad and Washington in September 2024.Security cooperation is now shifting toward bilateral arrangements, includingintelligence sharing, training, and arms cooperation.

Read more: ISIS hits Iraqi night surveillance twice in 24 hours in Kirkuk's Hawija

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s ForeignMinistry has ordered the transfer of Ambassador Ahmed Nayef Rashid al-Dulaimito the Iraqi Embassy in Riyadh, replacing Ambassador Safia al-Suhail.

A documentobtained by Shafaq News shows that the ministry’s Administrative Department issued thetransfer order, naming al-Dulaimi as Iraq’s ambassador extraordinary andplenipotentiary to Saudi Arabia. Signed by Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, theorder takes effect on the date al-Dulaimi leaves his current post.

The decision comesahead of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s planned visit to Saudi Arabia as part ofa Gulf tour that also includes Kuwait.

Meanwhile, OilMinister Bassem Mohammed Khudair and Electricity Minister Ali Saadi Wahibarrived in Riyadh on Sunday to prepare for discussions on issues expected to beaddressed during the prime minister’s visit. The two ministers are also scheduled to attend the 25th World Petroleum Congress, runningfrom October 11 to 15, at the invitation of Saudi Arabia’s energy minister.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Baghdad will host foreignministers from across the Muslim world on October 17-18 for talks on thePalestinian cause, the war in Gaza, and regional tensions, Iraq’s ForeignMinistry said Sunday, as the country prepares to assume the presidency of theOrganization of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers.

Held under the theme “Dialogueand Solidarity as Two Essential Pillars for Promoting Peace and SustainableDevelopment,” the 52nd session will also address political, economic, andhumanitarian issues of shared concern, Ambassador Hassanein Kamel, thesession’s official spokesperson, said.

The Foreign Ministry hascompleted preparations for the meeting in coordination with relevantauthorities, including logistical arrangements for visiting delegations, headded, expressing hope that the talks would foster mutual understanding andstrengthen cooperation among member states.

Iraq will take over theCouncil’s presidency from Turkiye, which assumed the role in June 2025.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Hoqooq (Rights) parliamentary bloc leader Su’ud Al-Saadi filed a formal challenge with Iraq’s Federal Supreme Court on Sunday against the government’s decision to raise the US dollar exchange rate.

Al-Saadi told Shafaq News that the appeal targets Cabinet Resolution No. 544, which approved the exchange-rate adjustment. He said the court had accepted the filing and would set a hearing date in the coming days.

The Cabinet approved the measure on October 6 following an emergency recommendation from the finance minister and Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) governor. Under the new structure, the dollar is priced at 1,500 dinars for purchases from the Finance Ministry, 1,510 for sales to banks and 1,520 for the public.

Read more: Iraqi dinar devaluation sparks backlash from blocs inside the cabinet

The change raised the end-user rate by 20,000 dinars per $100 from the previous 132,000 dinars. The parallel-market rate had climbed to around 165,000 dinars per $100 ahead of the decision amid speculation over a possible devaluation.

Al-Saadi’s court challenge follows his bloc’s earlier call for Iraqis affected by the devaluation to contest the decision and for parliament to hold a special session on the rate.

On October 8, Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi told parliament that the government had faced three alternatives: compulsory savings, paying salaries every 45 days or taking on additional debt. He said public debt exceeded 208 trillion dinars (about $136.8B) and that the government needed around 10 trillion dinars (about $6.58B) each month.

Parliament Speaker Haibet Al-Halbousi said the exchange-rate decision would not be reversed and had the backing of political bloc leaders.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Khudair is heading to SaudiArabia to prepare for Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi’s upcoming visit, withdiscussions expected to focus on reviving a long-idle oil pipeline linking Iraqto the Saudi Red Sea port of Yanbu, a government source told Shafaq News onMonday.

The pipeline, stretching approximately 1,568 kilometers from theZubair oilfield in Iraq’s southern Basra province to Yanbu, was built in the1980s to transport Iraqi crude to international markets. Operations ceased in1990 following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, while Saudi Arabia repurposedsections on its territory in 2001 to connect with its East-West pipeline, whichprovides an alternative export route bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.

The source also indicated that Al-Zaidi’s talks in Saudi Arabiawould address de-escalation efforts involving Yemen, Iraq’s position onregional developments, and the need to end conflicts between Arab countries.

In Kuwait, the prime minister is expected to discuss maritimeborder demarcation, the Khor Abdullah waterway, and Iraq’s water rights,alongside other bilateral issues.

Al-Zaidi is expected to begin his Gulf tour on Wednesday, October14, according to another government source. He previously canceled a plannedvisit to Riyadh in July following deadly US-Saudi airstrikes on the PopularMobilization Forces (PMF) across seven Iraqi provinces.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

The Iraqi government condemnedSaturday’s Houthi attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh andcalled for an immediate end to military operations and greater protection forcivilians across the region, spokesperson for the Commander-in-Chief of theArmed Forces Sabah Al-Numan said on Sunday.

Al-Numan rejected furthermilitary escalation, particularly attacks on civilian infrastructure, warningthat continued hostilities threaten regional security and stability. He calledfor dialogue rather than military confrontation and urged freedom ofnavigation, air travel, and movement across the region, emphasizing sharedeconomic and development interests.

The attack killed 12 people,including four Saudis, two Bangladeshis, and one national each from the UnitedStates, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan, and Egypt, and wounded 309 others,according to Saudi authorities.

Shafaq News- Kirkuk

Four Turkmen figures have emerged as possible successors to Kirkuk Governor Mohammed Samaan Agha, who is being considered for a federal cabinet post, a political source told Shafaq News on Saturday.

Provincial Council member Ahmed Ramzi Koperlu is among the candidates, alongside three other Turkmen figures. The nominations are part of a political agreement to keep the governorship with the Turkmen community, the source said.

He added that Samaan Agha is being considered for Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, but the proposal faces objections from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) over concerns that the proposed portfolio could overlap with the Foreign Ministry, headed by Fouad Hussein. Talks are under way between Turkmen representatives and the KDP to resolve the dispute over the proposed portfolio.

A second source told Shafaq News, however, that Samaan Agha is being considered for the Ministry of State for Provincial Affairs.

Samaan Agha became Kirkuk governor on April 16 and has led the Iraqi Turkmen Front since 2025. He is the first Turkmen to hold the governorship in decades.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi is expected to begin a Gulf tour on Wednesday, October 14, with visits to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, a government source told Shafaq News.

The source said Al-Zaidi would discuss shared security and economic issues with Gulf officials, as well as regional developments and their impact on security and economic conditions.

During the tour, Al-Zaidi is expected to reaffirm Iraq’s rejection of any attacks launched from its territory against Gulf or other regional states and stress that his government would hold accountable any party involved in such cross-border operations, according to the source.

The trip comes after Al-Zaidi canceled a planned visit to Riyadh in July amid rapidly escalating regional security developments.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

The parliamentary Hoqooq bloc, affiliated with Kataib Hezbollah,called on Iraqis affected by the devaluation of the dinar on Saturday to reject thegovernment's decision and join the bloc in challenging it before the FederalSupreme Court.

Bloc leader Saud al-Saadi told a news conference that the problemwas mismanagement and the absence of a real fight against corruption, for whichhe blamed every Iraqi government since 2003.

Asked by Shafaq News whether Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi shouldappear before parliament, al-Saadi said the prime minister needed to explainthe decision to the public. "It is not a personal matter. Simply saying hetakes responsibility is not enough, as the issue concerns the entire country.”

The bloc is gathering lawmakers' signatures to call a specialparliamentary session on the dollar rate and host the officials responsible forthe matter, according to al-Saadi.

Read more: Iraqi dinar devaluation sparks backlash from blocsinside the cabinet

The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) raised official cash selling for thepublic from 1,320 to 1,520 dinars per dollar, prompting political parties andtrade unions to demand a reversal. Governor Nizar Hussein informed parliament’sFinance Committee that the new official rate of 1,500 was fixed, with the draftfederal budget already built around it.

Iraq receives almost all government revenue in dollars from oilexports and exchanges those dollars through the central bank for dinars used tofinance public spending, including salaries.

Read more: Source: Iraqi leaders backed dollar hike before announcement

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Coordination Framework (CF), an alliance of majorShiite political forces, proposed a package of measures on Thursday followingthe increase in the dollar exchange rate against the Iraqi dinar.

The proposals include tighter control of the parallelcurrency market and measures to curb speculation, stabilize the exchange rate,and prevent the decision from being exploited to raise prices for goods andservices, according to a CF statement.

The bloc also proposed a protected price basket coveringessential food, medicine and construction materials, with customs duties waivedfor six months from the cabinet decision. Reference prices would be publishedregularly on a public platform, with regulators required to act againstunjustified price increases.

Another measure calls for a 15% reduction in tuition feesfor the current academic year across public and private schools, universities,private colleges and evening and parallel study programs. The CF presented thecut as direct compensation for families affected by the exchange-rate change.

For alternative revenue, the bloc proposed full taxassessments for telecommunications companies, banks and major corporations,along with a publicly available list every three months showing which companieshad met their tax obligations and which had not.

The package also calls for an exchange-rate stabilizationfund financed by additional oil revenue when prices exceed the level assumed inthe federal budget. The fund would be used solely to support the dinar andstrengthen reserves instead of relying on further currency devaluation whengovernment revenues fall. Part of the additional dinar revenue generated by theexchange-rate change would go toward interest-free, low-cost loans foragricultural and industrial projects that replace imports, with another portionallocated to employment opportunities for graduates.

The CF also called for a review of contractor agreements andgovernment projects affected by the exchange-rate change, including financialadjustments intended to keep projects running without imposing additional costson the state or citizens. Similar measures would address commitments made bysuppliers and investors under the previous exchange rate.

Under the proposal, Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi would form acommittee of relevant ministries and agencies to oversee a transitional periodending on December 31, 2026. Obligations settled before that deadline would usethe previous exchange rate, while those after it would fall under the new rate.

Earlier today, Al-Zaidi told parliament that the governmenthad faced three options: compulsory savings that would leave employees relyingon promises of future payment, paying salaries every 45 days, or taking onadditional debt.

The cabinet decided on October 6 to set the dollar purchaserate from the Finance Ministry at 1,500 dinars, the rate for banks at 1,510 andthe rate for end users at 1,520, compared with the previous 1,320-dinar rate—an increase of 20,000 dinars for every $100.

Read more: Iraqi dinar devaluation sparks backlash fromblocs inside the cabinet

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi on Thursday outlined toparliament the reasons behind the government’s decision to change the dollarexchange rate.

Addressing lawmakers during a meeting with parliament’spresidency, Al-Zaidi said the government had faced three alternatives: compulsorysavings that would leave employees relying on promises of future payment,paying salaries every 45 days, or borrowing more money and adding to Iraq’sexisting debt burden.

“When I took office, our economy was under severe pressurebecause oil exports had stopped and the Strait of Hormuz was closed,” he said.Public debt exceeded 208 trillion dinars, while the government needed 10trillion dinars each month, but salaries were still paid despite the crisis.

Al-Zaidi added that speculators had previously benefitedfrom the gap in the dollar exchange rate.

Parliament Speaker Haibet Al-Halbousi said the exchange-ratedecision would not be reversed and had the support of political bloc leaders.

Earlier today, Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) governorNizar Hussein informed parliament’s Finance Committee that the new officialrate of 1,500 dinars per dollar was fixed, with the draft federal budgetalready built around it, according to a parliamentary source. The CBI’s newrates, effective October 7, set the dollar at 1,500 dinars for purchases fromthe Finance Ministry, 1,510 for banks and 1,520 for the public. Iraq receivesalmost all government revenue in dollars from oil exports and exchanges thosedollars through the central bank for dinars used to finance public spending,including salaries.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s political leaders approved the government’sdecision to raise the official US dollar exchange rate during recent meetingswith Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi, a government source told Shafaq News onThursday.

The country’s financial crisis dominated bothindividual meetings with party leaders and broader consultations involvingpolitical blocs, producing several proposals to address the budget deficit,including increasing state revenues through a higher dollar rate, according tothe source.

The proposal gained political backing after leadersconcluded that converting oil revenues into dinars at the revised rate wouldgenerate additional funds to help cover the shortfall.

Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) Governor Nizar Husseininformed parliament’s Finance Committee earlier on Thursday that the newofficial rate of 1,500 dinars per dollar was fixed and could not be changed, aparliamentary source told Shafaq News. Any revision through the budget lawwould require recalculating spending allocations and financial tables alreadyprepared using the updated figure.

The committee had planned to meet with Hussein and thefinance minister to review the adjustment, its economic impact, and the draftfederal budget. Parliament’s presidency, however, canceled Thursday’s plenarysession, which was scheduled to host both officials, leaving the matter to thecommittee.

On Oct. 7, the CBI introduced a new exchange-ratestructure, setting the dollar at 1,500 dinars for purchases from the FinanceMinistry, 1,510 for sales to banks, and 1,520 for transactions with the public.

Iraq derives most of its government revenue from oilexports paid in US dollars, which are converted into dinars to finance publicspending, including salaries.

Read more: Iraqi dinar devaluation sparks backlash from blocs inside the cabinet

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi will meet parliament's leadership and theheads of political blocs at 8 p.m. on Thursday to discuss the new dollarexchange rate and its effects, an informed source told Shafaq News.

The finance minister and the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) governor willalso attend the meeting in the Constitutional Hall inside the parliamentbuilding, the source said.

Earlier on Thursday, the CBI governor told members of parliament'sFinance Committee that the 1,500-dinar rate used as the basis for the budgetwas fixed and could not be changed, a parliamentary source told Shafaq News.Any change to the rate in the budget law would require revising all of thebudget's tables and items, which were built on the 1,500-dinar rate, thegovernor explained, according to the source.

Neither the governor nor the finance minister went to parliament forthat session; the governor conveyed the bank's position to the committeeinstead, the source added.

Read more: Iraqi parliament cancels session on dinar devaluation

The CBI introduced the new rates on Wednesday: 1,500 dinars per dollar for purchases from the Finance Ministry, 1,510 for sales to banks and 1,520 for sales to the public, up from the previous end-user rate of 1,320. Lawmakers have called for an emergency session to reconsider the decision.

Read more: CBI pledges unrestricted dollar supply after devaluation

Shafaq News- Baghdad

The presidency of Iraq's parliament on Thursday canceled a sessionscheduled to host the finance minister and the central bank governor over thisweek's devaluation of the dinar, a parliamentary source told Shafaq News.

Instead, parliament's Finance Committee was set to meet the twoofficials at midday to discuss the reasons for the change in the exchange rate,said Sipan Shirwani, a lawmaker from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP). Themeeting may also cover the draft federal budget, he added.

On Wednesday, lawmakers voted to set aside their agenda and hold an opendebate on the decision and called a special session for Thursday to hear thetwo officials on its reasons and consequences.

The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) raised the official price of cash dollarsfor the public to 1,520 dinars from 1,320 on Wednesday. The bank described themove as a "strategic step" to strengthen financial stability and saidits foreign reserves remained sufficient.

Read more: Iraqi dinar devaluation sparks backlash from blocs inside the cabinet

Shafaq News- Kirkuk

Kirkuk Governor Mohammed Samaan Agha has been nominated fora cabinet post in Ali Al-Zaidi’s government, a political source familiar with the mattertold Shafaq News on Wednesday.

Agha’s appointment would be politically significant, as hecurrently heads the Iraqi Turkmen Front and serves as Kirkuk governor, thesource said. “He would be among the first figures to combine leadership of theTurkmen Front with a federal ministerial position.”

The ministry Agha would head, reportedly likely the Ministryof State for Provincial Affairs, as well as arrangements for administeringKirkuk if he leaves the governorship, will depend on ongoing politicalnegotiations and agreements, the source added.

No official announcement has been made confirming Agha’snomination.

Agha became governor of Kirkuk on April 16 and has headedthe Iraqi Turkmen Front since 2025, making him the first Turkmen to serve asgovernor of Kirkuk in decades.

The Iraqi parliament is expected to hold a session next weekto finalize the cabinet lineup, another source familiar with the matter toldShafaq News, noting that disagreements also persist over nominees for theministries of Labor and Social Affairs, Youth and Sports, and Planning andConstruction and Housing.

The State of Law Coalition (SLC), led by former PrimeMinister Nouri Al-Maliki, has formally nominated Yasser Sakheel for theInterior Ministry and Haider Bahaa, currently dean of the College of Pharmacyat Al-Nahrain University, for the Higher Education Ministry.

Shafaq News- Najaf

Iraq’s Patriotic ShiiteMovement (PSM/formerly Sadrist) leader Muqtada Al-Sadr urged the United Stateson Wednesday to respect Iraq’s sovereignty and pursue relations based onfairness and mutual respect, moving beyond decades of conflict.

Recalling his movement’s armedresistance to the “US occupation of Iraq,” Al-Sadr said national independencemust take precedence over foreign ties. “We resisted you just as we resistedanyone who occupied our country,” he wrote, rejecting portrayals of hismovement as “terrorist” or of the United States as akin to ISIS. “If you wantto turn the page, let us do so with justice and fairness, without arrogance orcondescension.”

https://t.co/Jliq123IHG

— مقتدى السيد محمد الصدر (@Mu_AlSadr) October 7, 2026

Al-Sadr called for balancedforeign relations, free from interference or dependence on Eastern or Westernpowers, and opposed drawing Iraq into international political and economicdisputes, arguing that Baghdad has no obligation to defend other countries orfight on their behalf.

Readmore: Coalition mission ends, factions keep their weapons

He also criticized what heportrayed as US favoritism toward its “spoiled daughter,” an apparent referenceto Israel, and urged major powers to promote peace rather than fuel regionalconflicts. He expressed hope that the American people would have a governmentcommitted to peace, while reaffirming Iraq’s willingness to maintain peacefulties with its neighbors based on national interests. “We will not besubordinate to you or anyone else.”

Al-Sadr’s Mahdi Army fought UStroops following the 2003 invasion, while the Promised Day Brigade (Liwa’aal-Yawm al-Maw'oud), established after the group’s disbandment in 2008,continued operations against Global Coalition forces.

On Sept. 30, 2026, Al-Sadrdissolved the Promised Day Brigade after the Coalition formally ended itsmilitary mission in Iraq. In May, he placed Saraya Al-Salam, the movement’smain armed wing, under state authority and urged other factions to join thecountry’s official security institutions.

Read more: US withdrawal opens new phase in Iraq’s political landscape

Shafaq News-Baghdad

Iraq'sparliament on Wednesday rejected claims that the country's top judicial bodyhad asked it to lift the immunity of dozens of lawmakers over corruptioncharges.

The claims,attributed to a member of parliament, had circulated on local media and socialmedia in recent days. They alleged that the Supreme Judicial Council, whichoversees Iraq's courts, had sent parliament a wave of requests to stripdeputies of immunity.

Parliament'sLegal Affairs Department called the reports "groundless." Thespeaker's office has referred the lawmaker, whom the statement did not name, tothe Parliamentary Conduct Committee ahead of possible legal action.

Under Iraq'sconstitution, a sitting lawmaker cannot be arrested during a legislative termwithout parliament's approval, unless caught committing a felony. Each requestto lift immunity goes to a parliamentary vote.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi lawmakers on Wednesday urgedthe government to reverse the increase in the official US dollar exchange rate,arguing that the measure would raise living costs and place additionalfinancial pressure on low- and middle-income households.

Hassan Al-Asadi, head of theparliamentary bloc of the Al-Nahj (Approach) National Alliance, cautionedduring a news conference at parliament that higher prices would affectessential needs, particularly food, medicine and services, as well asconstruction materials and industrial inputs.

Recalling Iraq’s 2020 exchange-rateincrease, Al-Asadi claimed that the gap between Central Bank and private-bankdollar sales generated substantial profits for private banks and currencyspeculators rather than the state treasury. As alternatives for boosting publicrevenue, he proposed strengthening non-oil collections, cutting unnecessaryspending and reviewing the costs of oil and gas management contracts andmobile-phone licenses.

Saba Al-Saadi, an MP from the Reconstructionand Development Coalition (Al-Ima'ar wal-Tanmiya), led by former Prime MinisterMohammed Shia Al-Sudani, blamed the Finance Ministry and Central Bank for whatshe described as failures in fiscal and monetary policy, arguing thatauthorities had no effective plan to regulate the market or protect the dinarand that the parallel market was determining the cost of citizens’ basic needs.

“The citizen’s pocket cannot be theready solution for every failure,” Al-Saadi said, rejecting the use of a higherexchange rate to address the budget deficit. She threatened parliamentaryquestioning and accountability and disclosed efforts by lawmakers to collectsignatures for a session to discuss the decision.

Iraq’s Cabinet on Tuesday approved anew official exchange-rate structure following an emergency recommendation fromthe finance minister and Central Bank governor, setting the dollar at 1,500dinars for purchases from the Finance Ministry, 1,510 for sales to banks and1,520 for sales by banks and non-bank financial institutions to end users. Theadjustment raised the official rate for the public by 20,000 dinars per $100from the previous 132,000 dinars.

The Central Bank has characterizedthe move as a “strategic step” to strengthen financial stability, reassuringcitizens and businesses about the adequacy and strength of its foreignreserves.

Before the decision, theparallel-market rate had climbed to around 165,000 dinars per $100 amidspeculation and expectations surrounding the exchange-rate change. OnWednesday, after the new rate took effect, the parallel rate rose further to around 168,500 dinars per $100 in Baghdadand 168,200 in Erbil.

Read more: Can Iraq’s economy weather a wider regionalshock? Experts differ

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Parliament set aside its scheduled agenda onWednesday to hold a general debate on the government’s decision to raise theofficial US dollar exchange rate against the Iraqi dinar, the parliamentarymedia office reported.

Speaker Haibet Al-Halbousi approved the change afternumerous lawmakers requested a session to discuss the currency adjustment.

Under the new rates introduced on October 7, theCentral Bank of Iraq (CBI) buys dollars from the Finance Ministry at 1,500dinars per dollar and sells them to banks at 1,510, while the public sellingrate has risen from 1,320 to 1,520. The adjustment comes as the dollar tradesat around 1,680 dinars on the parallel market.

Read more: Banking without trust: Why Iraqis still keep their money in cash

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi warned some parties in the ShiiteCoordination Framework, particularly those with armed wings, against failing tomeet their commitments, and stressed the agreed deadlines for handing overweapons, a political source told Shafaq News on Tuesday.

The warning came at a meeting of Framework leaders attended by al-Zaidion Monday evening, according to the source.

Al-Zaidi also pressed the leaders to resolve disputes over candidatesfor vacant cabinet posts and hold a confidence vote quickly, the source said.These include ministries allocated to Sunni parties, notably the Ministry ofCulture, which is contested between members of the National Political Council,a Sunni alliance. The issue was due to be discussed on Tuesday by the StateAdministration Coalition, the wider governing alliance.

At the same meeting, the finance minister briefed the leaders on thedraft 2027 federal budget, which includes up to 100,000 public-sector jobs forgraduates, according to the source. Some leaders opposed any increase, whileothers called for raising the number to more than 400,000. A list of proposedamendments to key provisions was drawn up, to be backed in parliament to speedits passage.

Al-Zaidi has set June 30, 2027, as the deadline for bringing weaponsoutside state control under state authority, a process launched on October 1, aday after the US-led coalition ended its military mission in Iraq.

Read more: Iraq's second US troop withdrawal shifts the test to armed factions

Shafaq News- Baghdad

The completion of the US-led Coalition’s military withdrawalfrom Iraq has opened a new phase in the country’s political and securitylandscape, according to politicians and analysts interviewed by Shafaq News,who differ over whether the departure will strengthen Iraq’s independentdecision-making or reshape competition over security, weapons and foreigninfluence.

The final phase of the withdrawal was completed on September30, 2026, and Iraq now faces challenges extending beyond the question of aforeign military presence. These include the state’s ability to controlweapons, confront ISIS cells, manage relations with Iran, Turkiye, the UnitedStates and Arab countries, and preserve an independent politicaldecision-making process.

US Influence Beyond the Military

Malik Aziz Francis, a member of the US Republican Party,said the next phase could involve redefining the US presence in Iraq ratherthan a complete American withdrawal.

Francis noted that Washington still has tools of influencethrough diplomatic, security and economic ties, as well as cooperation withIraqi state institutions.

The shift from a direct military presence to security,diplomatic and economic cooperation could allow the United States to maintain asignificant role because of the two countries’ political, security, economicand social ties, as well as varying degrees of influence in Iraq even after themilitary withdrawal is complete, he said.

Francis also noted that Iranian influence in Iraq remainsstrong because of the two countries’ political, security, economic and socialties, as well as varying degrees of alignment between Iraqi political and armedgroups and Tehran.

A change in the form of the US presence could give Iran-alignedforces greater room to operate, he added, but would not necessarily lead to awholesale shift in the balance of power.

Relations between Baghdad and Washington will remain animportant factor, Francis said, pointing to continued communication and coordinationbetween the two countries despite changes to the nature of the US militarypresence.

“Iraq’s future would be affected by the course of US-Iranianrelations,” Francis said, adding that a sustained political understandingbetween Washington and Tehran that reduces tensions could ease pressures onIraqi forces to align themselves with either side. 

Read more: Coalition mission ends, factions keep their weapons

Security Challenges

Firas Al-Muslimawi, spokesperson for the Reconstruction andDevelopment Coalition led by former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani,described the completion of the withdrawal as an indication of improvedsecurity conditions in Iraq.

The departure of coalition forces, following the removal ofsecurity threats and the Iraqi security forces’ ability to maintain security,is “an indication of Iraq’s health,” he said, adding that it also sends areassuring message to foreign investors.

Al-Muslimawi said that linking the withdrawal to continuedforeign interference does not reflect the way state institutions operate. Heargued that Iraq functions through its constitutional institutions and that thedeparture of foreign forces could have a positive impact on political andeconomic stability. “Baghdad could help bring Washington and Tehran closertogether by drawing on its relations with both sides.” 

 Read more: Al-Zaidi at 100 days: Iraq's toughest tests still ahead

Independence of Decision-Making

Legal expert Abbas Al-Aqabi played down the possibility thatthe withdrawal of foreign forces would directly alter the state’sdecision-making mechanisms.

He explained that the withdrawal does not affect the legislativeprocess and that Iraqi laws and legislative decisions remain domestic mattersnot governed by the will of any outside power, whether the United States orothers.

Al-Aqabi said that the same applies to the executive branch,and that a foreign military presence is distinct from diplomatic representationand the departure of troops “does not necessarily change the balance ofpolitical power inside Iraq.”

He viewed the withdrawal as having “more positives thannegatives,” while noting that diplomatic and political relations with othercountries would continue through channels other than a military presence.

Read more: Iraq's second US troop withdrawal shifts the test to armed factions

Concerns over Sovereignty

Mukhtar Al-Mousawi, a member of the Iraqi parliament’sForeign Relations Committee and a lawmaker from the Badr bloc, said Iraqi andKurdish warnings, as well as concerns raised by the coalition, had preceded thepost-withdrawal phase. He argued that the issue extends beyond the militarypresence itself to the degree of independence in Iraq’s politicaldecision-making.

He criticized “some political forces waiting for directionfrom abroad,” asking, “Where is the sovereignty Iraq celebrated?”

Independent politician and Arab tribal leader MuzahimAl-Huwait viewed the departure of foreign forces as a restoration of Iraqisovereignty. He said Iraq is now better positioned to make decisionsindependently of what he described as “foreign domination” that had affectedprevious governments.

“The next phase should focus on unifying political forceswithin the Shiite, Kurdish and Sunni communities and strengtheningunderstanding among Iraq’s different components, which could pave the way formeasures to address Iraqis’ hardships.”

He also called on the government to work toward ending thepresence of Turkish forces in Iraq, arguing that the completion of the foreignmilitary withdrawal should be followed by further steps toward restoring Iraqisovereignty. 

Shafaq News- Wasit

Wasit governor Ali Salimon on Tuesday objected to a provincial councildecision to begin the process of creating a new province of Suwaira fromdistricts in northern Wasit.

In a statement, Salimon said his objection rests on the constitution andthe laws governing the creation of provinces, adding that "Wasit is oneand indivisible."

The provincial council voted by majority on September 29 to recommendthat the federal government and parliament create Suwaira province, separatingnorthern Wasit from the provincial capital, Kut. Wasit lies southeast ofBaghdad and borders Iran.

Supporters cite geographic, demographic, and economic grounds, includingthe Suwaira district's distance of about 130 kilometers from Kut and its weightin agriculture and oil.

Read more: Discover Iraq: Wasit, Life along the Tigris in the east

Shafaq News- Baghdad

A parliamentary session is set for October 8 to vote oncompleting the formation of the Iraqi cabinet, lawmaker Othman Al-Shaibani, amember of the State of Law Coalition (SLC) led by Nouri Al-Maliki, noted onMonday.

Earlier, an informed source told Shafaq News that the Iraqiparliament had postponed a session scheduled for Thursday to complete thecabinet formation process to next week. The source said the delay was due tocontinued disagreements over nominees for the ministries of Labor and SocialAffairs, Youth and Sports, and Planning and Construction and Housing.

On Sunday, another informed source told Shafaq News that theSLC had formally nominated Yasser Sakheel for the Interior Ministry and HaiderBaha, currently dean of the College of Pharmacy at Al-Nahrain University, forthe Higher Education Ministry.