IRAQI DINAR POLITICS & ECONOMY

Oil Minister: A consortium of American and Qatari companies will implement a pipeline project from Basra to Fishkhabur.

Oil Minister: A consortium of American and Qatari companies will implement a pipeline project from Basra to Fishkhabur.

7-15-2026

Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair al-Abadi confirmed on Wednesday that Iraq seeks to establish significant partnerships with major international companies. He also stated that the new oil pipelines will provide two additional outlets to enhance export flexibility. Al-Abadi told the official news agency, “Iraq seeks to establish significant partnerships with major international companies, hence the great interest shown by American companies.” He added that “today’s visit to Washington and the meeting with the US President included a frank dialogue.”

He added that “there is a shared understanding between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi Read more…

Al-Zaydi: Weapons belong to the state only, and the Kurdistan Region is part of my body.

Al-Zaydi: Weapons belong to the state only, and the Kurdistan Region is part of my body.

2026-07-14

Shafaq News – Washington
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi confirmed on Tuesday that the phase following the end of the international coalition’s mission in Iraq at the end of September will witness a complete reliance on Iraqi security capabilities.

Al-Zaidi said during a joint press conference with US President Donald Trump that “Iraqi security forces are now capable of protecting the country,” stressing that the state has received “quantities of weapons from some factions.”

He added that “the government will continue Read more…

Trump: Iran is a huge burden on Iraq that will be eliminated, and al-Zaidi will remain in his position for a long time.

Trump: Iran is a huge burden on Iraq that will be eliminated, and al-Zaidi will remain in his position for a long time.

2026-07-14

Shafaq News – Washington
On Tuesday afternoon, US President Donald Trump said that Iran is a “great burden” on Iraq, indicating that it “will soon be eliminated,” while describing the performance of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi during his reception at the White House as “doing a great job” and that he will remain prime minister “for a long time.”

Trump said at a joint press conference with al-Zaidi: “It is a great honor to host the Prime Minister. We have a strong Read more…

Trump: Next week we will announce a major oil partnership with Iraq

Trump: Next week we will announce a major oil partnership with Iraq

2026-07-14

Shafaq News – Washington
US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday evening that a major oil partnership with Iraq will be announced next week.

During his meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House, Trump said that next week would see the announcement of a major oil partnership with Iraq, in addition to the conclusion of major trade deals.

On Tuesday afternoon, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi met with US President Donald Trump Read more…

Al-Zaidi meets Trump at the White House

Al-Zaidi meets Trump at the White House

2026-07-14

Shafaq News – Washington
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi met with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s media office.

Al-Zaidi arrived in the US capital, Washington, on Monday, at the head of a high-level delegation that included a number of ministers, officials, investors and business owners, on an official visit that will last for seven days. Read more…

Iraqi-European meeting to lift the ban on the national carrier

Iraqi-European meeting to lift the ban on the national carrier

7-14-2026

Transport Minister Wahab Al-Hassani and EU Ambassador Clemens Simetner agreed on Tuesday to hold a forthcoming meeting to determine the requirements for lifting the ban on Iraqi Airways. The Ministry of Transport stated in a statement that “Transport Minister Wahab Al-Hassani received today EU Ambassador Clemens Simetner, accompanied by the Director of the Cooperation and Projects Department, Wim Rimba, to discuss strengthening cooperation and joint coordination,” indicating that “the meeting focused on the most important arrangements necessary for the requirements to lift the European ban on Iraqi Airways and Read more…

Al-Jawahiri: Details of supplying America with Iraqi oil remain unclear.

Al-Jawahiri: Details of supplying America with Iraqi oil remain unclear.

7-14-2026

Information/Baghdad…
Oil expert Hamza al-Jawahiri confirmed on Tuesday that the decision to supply the United States with 500,000 barrels of Iraqi crude oil remains unclear regarding its details and the corresponding returns.
Al-Jawahiri told the Information Agency that “the decision to supply the United States with 500,000 barrels of Iraqi crude oil was made to support its strategic reserves,” explaining that “it is natural that there would be something in return for this action, but the nature of this return has not yet been clarified.” Read more…

Iraqi Interior Ministry: 3,950 officers, personnel, and employees dismissed and referred to courts on charges of bribery and corruption

Iraqi Interior Ministry: 3,950 officers, personnel, and employees dismissed and referred to courts on charges of bribery and corruption

2026-07-14

Shafaq News – Baghdad
The Iraqi Ministry of Interior confirmed on Tuesday that the danger of financial and administrative corruption is no less serious than the danger of terrorism in the country, announcing that it has taken strict legal measures against thousands of officers, affiliates and employees involved in cases of illicit gain, while simultaneously confirming the stability of the security situation and the readiness of plans for the millions of visits. Read more…

Exclusive: Al-Zaidi seeks a new military partnership with Washington after the coalition

Exclusive: Al-Zaidi seeks a new military partnership with Washington after the coalition

2026-07-14

Shafaq News – Washington/ Mustafa Hashim
On Tuesday, the spokesman for the Commander-in-Chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces, Sabah al-Nu’man, revealed that Baghdad intends to establish a bilateral military partnership with the United States after the end of the international coalition’s mission, while emphasizing that the issue of restricting weapons to the state is a “sovereign Iraqi decision” that is being worked on according to a purely governmental vision, and there is no external coordination regarding it . Read more…

Exclusive: Baghdad seeks to establish a new economic era with Washington

Exclusive: Baghdad seeks to establish a new economic era with Washington

2026-07-14

Shafaq News – Washington/ Mustafa Hashim
Iraqi government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi confirmed on Tuesday that Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s visit to the United States represents a pivotal moment in Iraqi-American relations, considering it the most important visit for an Iraqi government since 2003, because it moves the relationship between the two countries from managing security files and crises to building a long-term economic and investment partnership.

Al-Aboudi told Shafaq News Agency that the government views this visit as the beginning of a new phase based on Read more…

Documents reveal that the judiciary has ordered an investigation into the fate of $140 billion in Iraqi revenues.

Documents reveal that the judiciary has ordered an investigation into the fate of $140 billion in Iraqi revenues.

2026-07-14

Shafaq News – Baghdad
Member of the Legal Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, MP Mohammed Jassim Al-Khafaji, announced on Tuesday that an official move has been made by the Public Prosecution to open a judicial investigation into suspicions of the disappearance and fate of $140 billion of the country’s revenues.

According to official documents obtained by Shafaq News Agency, the legal action came in response to an official request and notification submitted by MP Al-Khafaji on June 27 to the head of the Public Prosecution Service, demanding the opening of a proper investigation based on recorded statements Read more…

Iraq leads OPEC declines… Basra crude drops $35 in June

Iraq leads OPEC declines… Basra crude drops $35 in June

2026-07-14

Shafaq News – Baghdad
Data from OPEC’s monthly oil market report for July 2026 showed that Basra Medium crude recorded the largest monthly decline among OPEC’s basket crudes during June, after it fell by $35.12 per barrel on a monthly basis, to reach an average price of $85.10 per barrel, compared to $120.22 in May .

On an annual basis, the report showed that the average price of Basra crude oil during the first six months of 2026 was $93.57 per barrel, which is higher than the average for the same period Read more…

Exclusive: Chaldeans hand al-Zaydi a comprehensive working paper and promises to remove obstacles to their return to Iraq

Exclusive: Chaldeans hand al-Zaydi a comprehensive working paper and promises to remove obstacles to their return to Iraq

2026-07-14

Shafaq News – Washington/ Mustafa Hashim
On Tuesday, Ghazwan Elias, director of the Iraq office of the Chaldean American Community Foundation in Michigan, revealed details of the meeting that brought together a delegation from the community with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zidi, confirming that he handed over a comprehensive working paper that included the most prominent demands and rights of the Christian component, while the delegation received governmental promises to work on addressing them, in addition to an official invitation for Christian emigrants to return to Iraq . Read more…

Al-Nujaifi: Mosul is outside the scope of Article 140, and the Nineveh Council’s decision does not aim to change the demographics.

Al-Nujaifi: Mosul is outside the scope of Article 140, and the Nineveh Council’s decision does not aim to change the demographics.

2026-07-14

Shafaq News – Nineveh
On Tuesday, Ninawa Provincial Council member Abdullah al-Nujaifi confirmed that the city of Mosul, with all its administrative and municipal boundaries, is not covered by Article (140) of the Iraqi Constitution, denying that the council’s recent decisions regarding residential expansion areas aim to bring about demographic change.

Al-Nujaifi told Shafaq News Agency that “the city of Mosul is not at all included in Article (140), and all its administrative boundaries from before 2003 until today fall outside this framework,” explaining that Read more…

With a deficit of 8.9 trillion dinars, Shafaq News publishes early warning indicators for the Iraqi economy.

With a deficit of 8.9 trillion dinars, Shafaq News publishes early warning indicators for the Iraqi economy.

2026-07-14

Shafaq News – Baghdad
Early warning indicators for the Iraqi economy for the fourth quarter of 2025, issued by the National Accounts Directorate, showed that the gross domestic product at current prices reached 82.1 trillion dinars, amid mixed developments in the oil, trade, banking, energy and stock market sectors.

According to the report, which was reviewed by Shafaq News Agency and prepared based on an analysis of trade and financial data, Iraq’s GDP, excluding the oil sector, reached 53.9 trillion Read more…

Trump rolls out the “red carpet” for al-Zaidi, his eye on the factions’ weapons.

Trump rolls out the “red carpet” for al-Zaidi, his eye on the factions’ weapons.

2026-07-14

Shafaq News – Special Translation
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi will receive a remarkable welcome on his first official visit to Washington, amid expectations that his talks with US President Donald Trump will constitute a real test of thorny issues, foremost among them the disarmament of Iranian-backed armed factions, an issue that could put the Iraqi government before complex internal challenges.

According to a report by the Associated Press , translated by Shafaq News Agency, Trump welcomed al-Zaidi, whom Read more…

Kurdish opposition: The Sudanese government gave Barzani the green light to steal the region’s resources.

Kurdish opposition: The Sudanese government gave Barzani the green light to steal the region’s resources.

7-13-2026

Information / Erbil…
Independent politician Didar Haval revealed on Sunday that the ownership of oil refineries in Erbil by the Masoud Barzani family has paved the way for a resurgence in oil smuggling to Turkey, Afghanistan, and Syria, taking advantage of the lack of oversight from the Baghdad government.
Haval told the Information Agency, “The oil refineries, including Kar and Lanaz, one belonging to Mansour Barzani and the other Kar to a leader in the Barzani party, have facilitated the smuggling of petroleum products from the region to Turkey, Syria, and Read more…

Erbil directs the Kurdistan Interior Ministry and regional security forces to work jointly with Baghdad to hold corrupt officials accountable.

Erbil directs the Kurdistan Interior Ministry and regional security forces to work jointly with Baghdad to hold corrupt officials accountable.

2026-07-13

Shafaq News – Erbil
On Monday, the Kurdistan Regional Government directed the Ministry of Interior and Kurdish security institutions to work jointly with federal authorities to combat corruption and hold those involved accountable.

A statement from the office of the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, received by Shafaq News Agency, stated that this directive comes within the framework of “strong and continuous cooperation and coordination” between the Prime Minister Read more…

Saleh: The 2027 budget will be ready on schedule in October.

Saleh: The 2027 budget will be ready on schedule in October.

2026/07/13

The Prime Minister’s financial advisor, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, revealed that the government will begin preparing the draft federal budget law for 2027 during the month of July, in accordance with the provisions of the Financial Management Law, indicating that “the upcoming budget will differ from its predecessors by adopting an economic vision aimed at stimulating investment, empowering the private sector, and establishing sovereign funds to support infrastructure projects, while continuing to address internal debt and reduce financial waste.” Read more…

Al-Zaidi arrives in Washington

Al-Zaidi arrives in Washington

2026-07-13

Shafaq News – Washington
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi arrived in Washington, D.C., on Monday for an official visit, leading a delegation of politicians and businessmen.

Al-Zaidi left at dawn on Monday, heading to the United States of America, on an official visit. Before leaving the country, he confirmed that he was heading to Washington at the head of a governmental and economic delegation, with the aim of translating the strength of Iraqi-American relations into economic and investment partnerships Read more…