Latest news with #Iraqi-Turkish
Iraqi News
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Iraq receives more water from Turkey
Baghdad ( – Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani asked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday to increase water releases to Iraq. During their meeting in Turkey, where they discussed relations between the two countries and issues of mutual interest, Erdogan agreed to Al-Mashhadani's request to release 420 cubic meters of water per second per day, starting Wednesday, according to a statement cited by the Iraqi News Agency (INA). Under the two countries' present leadership, Iraqi-Turkish ties are seeing prolonged success, according to Al-Mashhadani. This alliance has a long history and is founded on strong political, social, and geographic ties. The step will increase water flows along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, delivering water to all Iraqis, particularly in the southern parts of the country that are experiencing drought and water shortages. According to official estimates, the water shortage in Iraq is becoming worse and has already reached seven percent. Iraq consumes more than 19.4 million cubic meters of water per day, compared to 18.1 million cubic meters that the country receives.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Public employees in Iraq's Kurdish region caught in the middle of Baghdad-Irbil oil dispute
Public employees in Iraq's Kurdish region caught in the middle of Baghdad-Irbil oil dispute (Image: AP) Tensions have escalated between Iraq's central government in Baghdad and the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in the country's north in a long-running dispute over the sharing of oil revenues. The central government has accused the Kurdish regional authorities of making illegal deals and facilitating oil smuggling. Baghdad cut off funding for public sector salaries in the Kurdish region ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday. Kurdish authorities called the move "collective punishment" and threatened to retaliate. A long-running dispute It's the latest flare-up in a long-running dispute between officials in Baghdad and Irbil, the seat of the Kurdish regional government, over sharing of oil revenues. In 2014, the Kurdish region decided to unilaterally export oil through an independent pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan. The central government considers it illegal for Irbil to export oil without going through the Iraqi national oil company and filed a case against Turkey in the International Court of Arbitration, arguing that Turkey was violating the provisions of the Iraqi-Turkish pipeline agreement signed in 1973. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Iraq stopped sending oil through the pipeline in March 2023 after the arbitration court ruled in Baghdad's favour. Attempts to reach a deal to restart exports have repeatedly stalled. Last month, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani of the Kurdistan Regional Government travelled to Washington, where he inked two major energy deals with U.S. companies. The federal government in Iraq then sued in an Iraqi court, asserting that it was illegal for the regional government to make the deals without going through Baghdad. Iraq cuts off funds for public employees in Kurdistan The Iraqi Ministry of Finance announced a decision last month to halt funding for salaries of public sector employees in the Kurdistan Region. The move sparked widespread outrage in Irbil, triggering strong political and public reactions. The ministry said in a statement that the decision was due to the Kurdish regional authorities' "failure to hand over oil and non-oil revenues to the federal treasury, as stipulated in the federal budget laws." It added that any transfer of funds would be conditional on "the region's commitment to transparency and financial accountability." The federal Ministry of Oil accused Irbil of failing to deliver crude oil produced in the region's fields to the ministry for export through the state-run SOMO company, which it said had led to massive financial losses amounting to billions of dollars. The ministry warned that "continued non-compliance jeopardizes Iraq's international reputation and obligations, forcing the federal government to reduce oil production in other provinces to stay within Iraq's OPEC quota - which includes Kurdistan's production, regardless of its legality." Accusations of oil smuggled out of Kurdistan Baghdad has also accused Irbil of smuggling oil out of the country. An Iraqi official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly said the government had tracked 240 cases of illegal border crossings from Iraq's Kurdistan Region into Iran between Dec. 25, 2024, and May 24, 2025, aimed at smuggling oil derivatives. The Kurdish region's Ministry of Natural Resources in a statement called those allegations "a smokescreen to distract from widespread corruption and smuggling in other parts of Iraq. The KRG agreed to sell its oil through SOMO, opened an escrow account, and handed over revenues - yet Baghdad failed to meet its financial obligations." It accused the federal government of being responsible for the halt in oil exports via Turkey due to the lawsuit it filed in 2023 and said the Kurdish region had delivered over 11 million barrels of oil to the Ministry of Oil without receiving any financial compensation. The ministry accused Baghdad of "violating the constitution and pursuing a deliberate policy of collective punishment and starvation against the people of the Kurdistan Region" through the halt in funding for salaries. Barzani in a statement on the eve of the Eid al-Adha holiday described the withholding of salaries as an "unjust and oppressive decision" and a "policy of mass starvation" comparable to the chemical attacks and "genocide" launched by Iraq's former long time strongman ruler, Saddam Hussein, against the Kurds. "The people of Kurdistan have resisted with steadfastness and courage in the face of all forms of pressure and tyranny" and "regret was the fate of the tyrants," he said. In the meantime, residents of the Kurdish region feel caught in the middle of the yearslong political dispute once again. Saman Ali Salah, a public school teacher from the city of Sulaimaniyah, said the salary cut off comes at a particularly bad time for him - his daughter was hit by a car 40 days ago and is still in the hospital. He blamed both Baghdad and Irbil for the situation. "All the money I had was spent on transportation from the house to the hospital and I haven't paid my rent for the past two months," Salah said. "I don't know what to do. All I can say is that God will take revenge on these so-called officials on Judgement Day."
Winnipeg Free Press
09-06-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Public employees in Iraq's Kurdish region caught in the middle of Baghdad-Irbil oil dispute
BAGHDAD (AP) — Tensions have escalated between Iraq's central government in Baghdad and the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in the country's north in a long-running dispute over the sharing of oil revenues. The central government has accused the Kurdish regional authorities of making illegal deals and facilitating oil smuggling. Baghdad cut off funding for public sector salaries in the Kurdish region ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday. Kurdish authorities called the move 'collective punishment' and threatened to retaliate. A long-running dispute It's the latest flare-up in a long-running dispute between officials in Baghdad and Irbil, the seat of the Kurdish regional government, over sharing of oil revenues. In 2014, the Kurdish region decided to unilaterally export oil through an independent pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan. The central government considers it illegal for Irbil to export oil without going through the Iraqi national oil company and filed a case against Turkey in the International Court of Arbitration, arguing that Turkey was violating the provisions of the Iraqi-Turkish pipeline agreement signed in 1973. Iraq stopped sending oil through the pipeline in March 2023 after the arbitration court ruled in Baghdad's favor. Attempts to reach a deal to restart exports have repeatedly stalled. Last month, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani of the Kurdistan Regional Government traveled to Washington, where he inked two major energy deals with U.S. companies. The federal government in Iraq then sued in an Iraqi court, asserting that it was illegal for the regional government to make the deals without going through Baghdad. Iraq cuts off funds for public employees in Kurdistan The Iraqi Ministry of Finance announced a decision last month to halt funding for salaries of public sector employees in the Kurdistan Region. The move sparked widespread outrage in Irbil, triggering strong political and public reactions. The ministry said in a statement that the decision was due to the Kurdish regional authorities' 'failure to hand over oil and non-oil revenues to the federal treasury, as stipulated in the federal budget laws.' It added that any transfer of funds would be conditional on 'the region's commitment to transparency and financial accountability.' The federal Ministry of Oil accused Irbil of failing to deliver crude oil produced in the region's fields to the ministry for export through the state-run SOMO company, which it said had led to massive financial losses amounting to billions of dollars. The ministry warned that 'continued non-compliance jeopardizes Iraq's international reputation and obligations, forcing the federal government to reduce oil production in other provinces to stay within Iraq's OPEC quota — which includes Kurdistan's production, regardless of its legality.' Accusations of oil smuggled out of Kurdistan Baghdad has also accused Irbil of smuggling oil out of the country. An Iraqi official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly said the government had tracked 240 cases of illegal border crossings from Iraq's Kurdistan Region into Iran between Dec. 25, 2024, and May 24, 2025, aimed at smuggling oil derivatives. The Kurdish region's Ministry of Natural Resources in a statement called those allegations 'a smokescreen to distract from widespread corruption and smuggling in other parts of Iraq. The KRG agreed to sell its oil through SOMO, opened an escrow account, and handed over revenues — yet Baghdad failed to meet its financial obligations.' It accused the federal government of being responsible for the halt in oil exports via Turkey due to the lawsuit it filed in 2023 and said the Kurdish region had delivered over 11 million barrels of oil to the Ministry of Oil without receiving any financial compensation. The ministry accused Baghdad of 'violating the constitution and pursuing a deliberate policy of collective punishment and starvation against the people of the Kurdistan Region' through the halt in funding for salaries. Barzani in a statement on the eve of the Eid al-Adha holiday described the withholding of salaries as an 'unjust and oppressive decision' and a 'policy of mass starvation' comparable to the chemical attacks and 'genocide' launched by Iraq's former longtime strongman ruler, Saddam Hussein, against the Kurds. 'The people of Kurdistan have resisted with steadfastness and courage in the face of all forms of pressure and tyranny' and 'regret was the fate of the tyrants,' he said. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. In the meantime, residents of the Kurdish region feel caught in the middle of the yearslong political dispute once again. Saman Ali Salah, a public school teacher from the city of Sulaimaniyah, said the salary cutoff comes at a particularly bad time for him — his daughter was hit by a car 40 days ago and is still in the hospital. He blamed both Baghdad and Irbil for the situation. 'All the money I had was spent on transportation from the house to the hospital and I haven't paid my rent for the past two months,' Salah said. 'I don't know what to do. All I can say is that God will take revenge on these so-called officials on Judgement Day.' ___ Associated Press journalist Salam Salim in Irbil, Iraq contributed to this report.
Iraqi News
04-06-2025
- Business
- Iraqi News
Iraq signs deal with Turkey to increase electricity supplies
Baghdad ( – The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity signed an agreement on Wednesday with the Turkish company Alifrin to raise the capacity of the electrical interconnection line between the two countries from 300 to 600 megawatts. Iraq's Electricity Ministry said in a statement that the Iraqi Minister of Electricity, Ziyad Ali Fadel, attended a ceremony held in Baghdad to sign an agreement with Alifrin to increase the capacity of the Iraqi-Turkish electricity interconnection line. The electrical interconnection line's capacity will be increased to 600 megawatts within less than one month, according to the statement. The step is part of the Ministry of Electricity's plan to diversify energy sources and expand opportunities for collaboration with neighboring countries and the European Union. In August 2024, Baghdad launched an electrical interconnection line between Iraq and Turkey to supply areas in northern Iraq with electrical energy. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) previously stated that the electricity imported through the new interconnection line, which spans 115 kilometers, will supply three regions in northern Iraq with electrical power. In early 2024, a 40-megawatt electrical interconnection line was established between Jordan and Iraq, enabling the provision of electrical power to western Iraq. In January 2025, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani confirmed that Iraq is achieving progress on its electricity interconnection projects with the Gulf States and Turkey. These initiatives aim to connect to the European Union electricity grid, facilitating integration within the energy sector. The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity revealed in late December that 90 percent of the electrical interconnection project between Iraq and the Gulf States has been completed. The spokesperson for the Electricity Ministry, Ahmed Musa, told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that three companies are working on setting up the transmission line that connects the Al-Faw power station in southern Iraq to the Wafra power plant in Kuwait. According to Musa, the project's first phase, which will feed the southern Iraqi province of Basra, is anticipated to go into operation with a capacity of up to 500 megawatts.
Iraqi News
27-05-2025
- Business
- Iraqi News
The Cabinets hold the 21st regular session, decisions included
The Cabinet held the 21st regular session on Tuesday chaired by PM Muhammed S. Al-Sudani during which the latest developments and public affairs in the country were reviewed, along with several important files and issues. The Cabinet approved the recommendations of Diwani Order Committee No. 7 of 2025 concerning the violations documented in the investigation report of the Federal Commission of Integrity, dated July 4, 2024, related to the railway investment file and associated contracts, according to a statement by the PM's Media Office - received by the Iraqi News Agency - INA. Based on the committee's findings, the Cabinet decided to dismiss the following officials for failing to fulfill their assigned duties: • Yaqoub Hussein Salem, Director General of the Legal Department at the Ministry of Transportation. • Abbas Nasser Majid, Director General of the Contracts and Licensing Department at the Ministry of Transportation. The report was also referred to the Federal Commission of Integrity to complete the legal procedures before the court. The Cabinet approved allowing the PM's Office to proceed with implementing the projects under Phase Two of the 'More Beautiful Baghdad' campaign, taking into account the comments presented during the session, which were approved by the Prime Minister. In the electricity sector, the Cabinet amended its Decision No. (346 of 2025), to approve contracting with the Turkish company as part of the Iraqi-Turkish power line 400 kV, for one year. The Ministry of Finance will provide the necessary allocations to ensure electricity supply to the northern region. The contract will be renegotiated after October 1, 2025, by a committee comprising representatives from the PM's Office, the Ministry of Electricity, and company KBR. The Cabinet also approved the continuation of solar energy projects, as follows: 1. Approval of the memorandum of understanding signed between the Ministry of Electricity and UGT RENEWABLES to develop an integrated solar power project. The Ministries of Planning and Finance are to include the projects in line with national priorities and allocate the necessary funding. The Minister of Electricity was granted the required authority to proceed. 2. Approval of the Ministerial Council for Energy's recommendation regarding pricing and development costs for the 1000 MW Artawi Solar Power Plant project with TotalEnergies, as it is considered a strategic clean energy project. The Ministry of Oil is to fulfill its payment obligations under the signed power purchase agreements. The Director General of the State Company for Southern Electricity Production is authorized to sign the contract addendum with the French company. In the context of completing infrastructure and stalled projects, the Cabinet approved the following: 1. Increase the total cost for the Al-Husseiniya Concrete Bridge over the Tigris River project. 2. Increase the total cost and contingency amount for the two-way entrance of Al-Ahrar and Al-Ahrar Bridge project (Kut–Baghdad road). 3. Add a component for completing the Basra Provincial Council Building and increase the cost value of the main project. 4. Increase the total cost value for two Basra projects: infrastructure for 17 central districts, and rehabilitation of infrastructure in the Oil Housing area behind the Oil Cultural Center. 5. Increase the cost value of the Ninawa Ring Road Project and the Seventh Bridge. The Cabinet also reviewed border crossings and amended Decision No. (24187 of 2024), as modified by Decision No. (24266 of 2024), to exempt contracts related to Zurbatiya Border Crossing from procurement regulations, enabling the execution to proceed by transferring responsibilities from the main contractor to the subcontractor. The Cabinet approved a request by the Ministry of Health to lift the ban on importing electronic cigarettes, electronic hookahs, and tobacco products, subject to compliance with the Anti-Smoking Law (No. 19 of 2012). The Central Organization for Standardization and Quality Control will issue relevant technical standards, the Iraqi Customs Authority will price these goods for customs duties, and commercial attachés abroad will authenticate certificates of origin and invoices for such goods for integration into the national system, thereby eliminating the need for secondary verification. Additional decisions made by the Cabinet include: 1. Amending Decision No. (245 of 2019) to authorize branch directors of the State Properties Department in the provinces to allocate Ministry of Finance-owned land and sign investment contracts after obtaining ministerial approval. 2. Approving the payment of $1 million to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) from the 2025 foreign contributions budget. In the field of international cooperation and peaceful nuclear energy, the Cabinet authorized the Chairman of the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission to negotiate and sign a draft cooperation agreement between Iraq and the Russian Federation on the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, by the Constitution. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to prepare the necessary documents for approval by the Prime Minister.
