Al-Asadi: Corruption is leading vital sectors in Iraq to collapse
8-26-2026
Information/Baghdad…
MP Ahmed al-Asadi, from the Sadiqun parliamentary bloc, confirmed on Wednesday that corruption has exhausted the country and caused the collapse of several vital sectors, explaining that its repercussions have affected industry, investment, and infrastructure.
Al-Asadi told Al-Maalouma that “corruption in Iraq has exhausted the country and caused collapses in a number of sectors, including industry, investment, and other sectors and infrastructure.” Read more…
Abdul Hadi: September will decide the vote on the remaining ministerial portfolios.
8-26-2026
Information/Baghdad…
Member of the Coordination Framework, Uday Abdul-Hadi, confirmed on Wednesday that the vote on the remaining ministerial portfolios in Ali al-Zaidi’s government will take place during September, through political consensus.
Abdul-Hadi explained to Al-Maalouma that “dialogues and meetings regarding efforts to create a comprehensive agreement to finalize the names of candidates for nine ministerial portfolios in Ali al-Zaidi’s government are still ongoing and progressing rapidly,” expecting “a Read more…
Oil for reconstruction: A parliamentary proposal to attract global companies and transfer technology
8-26-2026
The spokesperson for the Badr parliamentary bloc, Hamid al-Moussawi, called on the government Wednesday to adopt an oil-for-reconstruction mechanism as a solution to overcome economic challenges and accelerate the implementation of strategic projects in the country.
Al-Moussawi told the Information Agency that “Iraq possesses significant oil resources, and a portion of these could be invested in reconstruction and infrastructure projects, instead of burdening the budget with additional financial obligations.” Read more…
Revolutionary Guard: We have agreed with Oman on the two parties’ shares of the Strait of Hormuz revenues.
8-26-2026
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps ( IRGC) confirmed on Wednesday that it has reached an agreement with the Sultanate of Oman regarding each party’s share of the revenues from the Strait of Hormuz.
IRGC spokesman Brigadier General Hossein Mohebi stated in a statement carried by the Al-Maalomah news agency: “If the United States does not accept our conditions, the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened under any circumstances.”
He added, “The Strait of Hormuz is under our control, and there are no enemy warships in the Gulf.” Read more…
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Tut: The 2027 budget will be the most complex since 2003… and there are 9 challenges awaiting resolution.
8-26-2026
Information/Special…
MP Yasser Watout confirmed on Wednesday that the 2027 budget will be the most complex since 2003, given the presence of nine major challenges, while emphasizing that the issue of salaries represents a “red line.”
Watout explained to Al-Maalouma that “direct meetings with the Ministry of Finance reflect the work being done to prepare the outlines of the 2027 budget, which we believe will be the most complex since 2003, especially given the nine direct challenges.” Read more…
Statement issued by the Central Bank of Iraq
August 26, 2026
The Central Bank of Iraq has been monitoring media reports and statements regarding the printing of new Iraqi currency with zeros removed, purportedly for circulation. In this regard, we affirm that these reports are not based on any official source, and we deny that the bank has printed any new Iraqi currency with zeros removed.
Furthermore, any future project related to restructuring currency denominations or removing zeros, should an official decision be made, will be Read more…
“Zeroes removed”… Central Bank denies printing new currency
8-26-2026
The Central Bank of Iraq denied on Wednesday printing quantities of new Iraqi currency with zeros removed.
In a statement received by Al-Maalomah News Agency, the bank said, “The Central Bank of Iraq has been following the news and statements circulating in some media outlets regarding the bank printing quantities of new Iraqi currency with zeros removed, in preparation for its circulation.” The statement emphasized, “In this regard, we confirm that these reports are not based on any official source, and we deny that the bank has printed new Iraqi currency with zeros removed.” Read more…
A Western analysis presents Iraq as a model for applying Trump’s latest sanctions on Iran.
2026-08-2
Shafaq News – Follow-up
The economic sanctions and recent threats made by US President Donald Trump against Iran have opened the door to much speculation about what will happen, how Washington intends to do to “strangle” Tehran economically, and what mechanisms can be employed to implement this.
Reuters addressed the issue from the angle of how Iraq could be a “model” for implementing US threats to exclude countries that continue to trade with Iran from the dollar-based financial system. Read more…
20 Iranian tankers stranded off Sri Lanka
2026-08-26
Shafaq News – Follow-up
Around 20 Iranian oil tankers are stranded off the coast of Sri Lanka, unable to return to Iranian ports, due to the US naval blockade imposed on shipping to and from Iran.
Ship tracking data showed 13 Iranian-flagged tankers near the outer borders of Sri Lankan territorial waters, along with tankers linked to what is known as the “shadow fleet” used by Tehran to circumvent sanctions. Read more…
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Election expert: Iraqi government’s proposal to adopt the national ID card violates election law
2026-08-26
Shafaq News – Baghdad
On Wednesday, election expert Duraid Tawfiq criticized the absence of constitutional and legal frameworks for the decision to adopt the unified national card in the voting process for the upcoming Iraqi elections.
In a statement, Tawfiq questioned how to reconcile Article (102) of the Constitution – which explicitly states that the Independent High Electoral Commission is an independent body subject to the oversight of the House of Representatives – with placing the voter registry under the control of a governmental body represented by the Ministry of Interior. Read more…
Minister of Transport: The development road is the artery of the 21st century and a turning point for Iraq’s economy.
2026-08-26
Shafaq News – Baghdad
Minister of Transport Wahab Al-Hassani affirmed the ministry’s aspiration for Iraq to be the main nerve center for geo-economic connectivity between East and West, and the preferred logistics platform for global shipping companies.
This came during an interview he gave to the UAE’s English-language newspaper (The National), which publishes a specialized economic supplement covering multiple vital sectors.
Regarding the strategic development road project and its contribution to changing Iraq’s image from an oil- Read more…
Administrative reviews target Iraqi state-owned banks amid liquidity crisis and delayed salary payments
2026-08-26
Shafaq News – Baghdad
An informed source revealed on Wednesday that comprehensive administrative assessments are being conducted in a number of government banks and financial institutions linked to the financial and economic sectors, coinciding with the financial crisis and the delay in paying employee salaries. The source indicated that files have been opened regarding the waste of public funds, the decline in liquidity, and information and reports that he described as “misleading” submitted by some departments to officials. Read more…
Oil companies avoid ships on Iran’s blacklist
2026-08-26
Shafaq News – Follow-up
Informed sources revealed that at least three Indian oil refiners and a major global energy company intend to avoid using vessels listed on Iran’s new blacklist, including ship-to-ship oil transfers, for fear of being subjected to Iranian measures or security risks in the Strait of Hormuz.
According to Reuters, the sources said that the companies took this approach due to security concerns, while other companies are studying the Iranian warning and waiting to see how it will be Read more…
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Iraqi Central Bank’s foreign currency sales fall 20% in July
2026-08-26
Shafaq News – Baghdad
The Central Bank of Iraq’s sales of foreign currency declined during July 2026 to $5.662 billion, a decrease of about $195 million, or 3.3%, compared to June, during which sales were recorded at $5.857 billion.
According to data from the Central Bank of Iraq, which was reviewed by Shafaq News Agency, the sales in July 2026 were distributed between $295 million in cash sales and $5.367 billion to boost bank balances outside the foreign currency sales window. Read more…
Following the end of the coalition’s mission, Zidane and the US chargé d’affaires discuss law enforcement and the arms embargo.
2026-08-26
Shafaq News – Baghdad
The President of the Supreme Judicial Council, Judge Faiq Zaidan, met today, Wednesday, with the Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Iraq, Joshua Harris.
A statement issued by the judiciary said that the meeting discussed judicial procedures after the end of the international coalition’s mission in Iraq on September 30, related to entities and individuals who carry weapons in violation of the constitution and the law, as Read more…
“My Account” gives Kurdistan employees until the end of August to receive their bank cards
2026-08-26
Shafaq News – Sulaymaniyah
The “My Account” project team announced on Wednesday that August 31st has been set as the deadline for receiving bank cards and completing the procedures related to the project, warning that the salaries of employees who do not receive their cards within the specified deadline will be suspended.
The project team said in an urgent alert seen by Shafaq News Agency that only six days separate employees from the end of the deadline for receiving their bank cards, stressing that “any employee Read more…
More than 10,000 megawatts wasted… Parliamentary committee hosts the Minister of Electricity
2026-08-26
Shafaq News – Baghdad
The Parliamentary Committee on Electricity and Energy announced on Wednesday that it will host, next week, Electricity Minister Ali Wahib and senior staff from the ministry to discuss the ministry’s strategic plan and preparations for 2027, with a focus on electricity losses and waste.
Committee member Noura Al-Juhayshi told Shafaq News Agency that the Ministry of Electricity’s current production is 22,000 megawatts, while about 10,000 megawatts reach citizens, while more than 10,000 megawatts go as distribution losses, considering this a waste of public money and a gateway to corruption. Read more…
Maliki rejects the overthrow of the government and warns of political “fires” and clashes with factions.
2026-08-26
Shafaq News – Baghdad
On Wednesday, Nouri al-Maliki, head of the State of Law Coalition, warned against attempts to ignite “fires” in the political scene and disrupt the Iraqi reality, stressing support for the coordination framework to continue the government and rejecting changing or overthrowing it, while emphasizing the need to address the issue of restricting weapons to the state without escalation or confrontation.
Al-Maliki said during his meeting with a number of analysts and political experts, according to a statement issued Read more…
Finance Minister: Employees’ salaries are fully secured and there is no intention to distribute them every 45 days.
8-26-2026
Finance Minister Faleh al-Sari confirmed that employee salaries are fully secured, while indicating that there is no intention to distribute salaries every 45 days. Al-Sari stated during his conversation with a number of experts and specialists that “the cost of monthly salaries amounts to about 7 trillion and 700 billion dinars, and we are working on raising the pensions and salaries of the lower grades.”
He added that “the ministry found a significant inflation in costs, and is working to address this inflation, control spending, and improve Read more…
Media and Communications: Launch of the first digital application in Iraq to evaluate the quality of telecommunications and internet services
8-26-2026
The Communications and Media Commission announced the launch of the (CMC Speed Test) application, as a digital monitoring platform that allows measuring the quality of communications and internet services from actual usage sites, and utilizing users’ results to build an independent database that helps the commission to evaluate network performance and diagnose areas of service weakness. In its statement, it explained that the application is not limited to measuring data download and upload speeds, but rather collects a wide range of Read more…
