Latest news with #IraqiParliament
Shafaq News
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iraqi Parliament dismisses US lawmakers' claims of Iranian influence
Shafaq News/ The Iraqi Parliament's Foreign Relations Committee on Thursday rejected recent accusations by members of the US Congress alleging Iranian influence over Iraq's political and security institutions. Two Republican lawmakers had called for a 'comprehensive reassessment' of US–Iraq relations and urged the suspension of all American assistance to the Iraqi government until what they described as 'serious steps' are taken to reduce Iranian involvement. Committee member MP Mukhtar al-Moussawi told Shafaq News that such calls are not new and do not reflect the official position of the US administration. 'These are media-driven appeals that lack any real substance,' he said. 'There is no Iranian hegemony over Iraq,' al-Moussawi stressed. 'Iraq's decisions and its relationship with Iran are similar to its relations with other countries in the region and around the world.' He asserted that the US seeks strong relations with Iraq due to its strategic importance, and there is no indication of any intention to impose sanctions. 'Ties between Baghdad and Washington are progressing across multiple levels and will not be affected by suspicious appeals from certain hardline figures in the US Congress.'
Shafaq News
29-04-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraq's energy crisis: New pipeline a race against the clock
Shafaq News/ Iraq will begin commissioning a new gas pipeline from Khor Al-Zubair to Shatt al-Basra within days, aimed at offsetting reduced Iranian gas imports, the State Company for Oil Projects (SCOP) announces on Tuesday. The Head of the SCOP, Montaser Kazem, told Shafaq News that the next three days will see the project officially declared complete, after which testing and commissioning will begin, followed by the start of gas pumping operations. 'The project was completed in record time,' he said, noting that while the contractual timeline was 120 days, it was finished in under 90. Ali Shaddad, Spokesperson for the Iraqi Parliament's Committee of Oil, Gas and Natural Resources, said the pipeline will transport between 500 and 800 million standard cubic feet per day (Mscfd) of gas, running from the floating platform at Khor al-Zubair port to the connection point at Shatt al-Basra. The pipeline has a capacity of 42 inches in diameter. Shaddad added that the committee observed significant progress on the project and expects gas pumping to begin within days, boosting Iraq's electricity grid—especially in Basra province and across the country. 'This project will serve as a viable alternative to Iranian gas, particularly amid ongoing US sanctions and declining import volumes,' he pointed out. 'We are heading into a scorching summer.' In March 2025, the US government ended Iraq's sanctions waiver for importing Iranian electricity as part of its 'maximum pressure' campaign on Tehran, disrupting a key energy source that had supplied a significant share of Iraq's power generation. In response, Iraq is actively seeking alternative energy sources to mitigate the impact of reduced Iranian imports. Efforts include exploring gas imports from countries like Qatar and Oman, as well as investing in domestic energy infrastructure projects. These initiatives aim to enhance Iraq's energy independence and ensure a stable electricity supply, particularly during peak demand periods.
Shafaq News
19-04-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Arab Parliament convenes in Baghdad: Palestine in focus
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, the Arab Parliament opened its plenary session in Baghdad, launching four days of meetings hosted by Iraq's Council of Representatives. According to the Iraqi Parliament's media office, 60 lawmakers from across the Arab world attended the opening, which began with a joint meeting between Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani and Arab Parliament President Mohamed Ahmed Al-Yamahi. The agenda includes sessions of the four standing committees—Foreign Affairs; Economic and Financial Affairs; Legislative and Human Rights; and Social and Educational Affairs—and will conclude with a final plenary on April 21. A workshop titled 'Artificial Intelligence Tools in Parliamentary Work' is set for April 20 at Shabibi Hall, alongside a leadership meeting involving the Arab Parliament president, vice presidents, and committee chairs at the Speaker's office. الاجتماع التحضيري للبرلمان العربي في بغداد لبحث القضايا ذات الاهتمام المشترك — مجلس النواب العراقي (@Parliament_iq) April 19, 2025 Independent Iraqi MP Nadhim al-Shiblawy described the event as proof of Iraq's ongoing engagement in regional politics. 'This is a clear message that Iraq is not isolated,' he told Shafaq News, noting that the opening discussions focused on Palestine. On the sidelines, Arab Parliament President Adel Al-Asoumi met with Palestine Committee Chair Mohamed Ahmed Al-Yamahi to discuss escalating violence in Gaza. In a joint statement, they called on the UN, the US, and international institutions to enforce International Criminal Court warrants, allow humanitarian access, and ensure implementation of the January 19 ceasefire agreement. Meanwhile, participants condemned Israeli military actions in Gaza, including attacks on hospitals and media personnel, rejecting forced displacement and annexation and reiterating support for a two-state solution. They also endorsed outcomes from Egypt's emergency Arab summit, particularly the Gaza reconstruction plan, urging unified Arab action in defending Palestinian rights. The group called on the US to pressure Israel to fully lift the blockade on Gaza. Formed during the 2005 Algiers Summit, the Arab Parliament is the legislative arm of the Arab League. It comprises 88 members—four from each of the 22 member states—and works through four permanent committees covering diplomacy, economics, legal affairs, and social policy.
Shafaq News
13-04-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraq's budget in peril as Trump pressures oil markets
Shafaq News/ US President Donald Trump's relentless drive to crash oil prices in a bid to bolster American industries could wreak havoc on Iraq's fragile economy, experts warn, cautioning that sharp swings in global oil markets may deliver a heavy blow to Baghdad's heavily oil-reliant budget. Economists argue that Trump's tariff-fueled strategy is designed to squeeze oil-producing nations into reshaping trade deals on Washington's terms. While the move may give American manufacturers a competitive edge, it sends shockwaves through oil-dependent economies like Iraq, where over 90% of the national budget hinges on crude exports. 'If prices fall, the Iraqi government will struggle to secure funding and cover its budget,' said Hussein Al-Saabri, a member of the Iraqi Parliament's Investment and Development Committee. He told Shafaq News that Trump's tariffs ripple across global markets, indirectly affecting oil prices and, by extension, Iraq's fiscal health. Oil prices dropped to around $60 a barrel following Trump's tariff imposition, before a temporary 90-day suspension led to partial stabilization. Yet this swing caused global trade imbalances, said economist Mustafa Faraj. 'When tariffs were applied, global demand for goods dropped, taking oil demand with it,' Faraj told Shafaq News. 'As oil is subject to supply and demand like any commodity, prices fell accordingly. More fluctuations are expected in the coming days.' Faraj believes Trump is using tariffs as a tool to force countries to the negotiating table, citing China as a prime example of increased pressure. As for Iraq, he advises diversifying revenue sources to shield the economy from external shocks. Economic researcher Ahmed Eid echoed the call for reform, advocating domestic production growth, transparent taxation policies, and comprehensive restructuring of Iraq's economic system. 'Any disruption in oil prices immediately affects Iraq's finances,' Eid told Shafaq News. 'This pressure has driven the government to expand its tax policy in hopes of offsetting deficits.' Eid also revealed that Baghdad is considering new tax measures amid unstable oil markets—a move expected to impact imported goods prices and deepen the strain on Iraqi citizens already grappling with poverty and unemployment. In response to Trump's tariff policy, the Iraqi government announced on April 5 a set of measures aimed at recalibrating economic ties with the United States, including expanding mutual trade by opening distribution channels for US companies and activating Iraqi commercial agencies to promote direct sector-to-sector engagement with the US. The government also planned to develop banking and financial cooperation to ensure shared economic interests, as well as directing the Iraqi-US negotiating team to review the fundamentals of trade relations to build a balanced economic partnership. In addition, assigning the foreign, finance, and trade ministries, along with other stakeholders, was another move to initiate dialogue with relevant US sectors, monitor financial markets, and consult with economic think tanks. These measures mirror Trump's hard-nosed approach to negotiation, rooted in a bid to rebalance the US trade deficit through high-stakes, bilateral deals. Speaking from Paris, international legal expert Majid Boudin argued that Trump views America's economic sovereignty as under siege—and sees tariffs as a blunt but effective weapon to reclaim it. 'Trump is laser-focused on funneling massive revenue into the US Treasury and slashing the national debt,' Boudin told Shafaq News. 'He's not interested in alliances—only in pushing America's agenda.' Boudin described Trump's escalating trade war with China as part of a sweeping strategy to reignite US industrial dominance by imposing record-high tariffs. Turning to Iraq's position, Boudin pointed out that Baghdad's economic lifeline remains tightly bound to oil and gas exports. 'Trump is aggressively pursuing bargain-basement oil to drive down production costs and supercharge American competitiveness,' he said. But Boudin warned that forcing prices below extraction costs could backfire, inflicting losses on oil producers. 'That's the battlefield in Trump's next round of negotiations with Middle Eastern nations—Iraq included,' he concluded.
Iraqi News
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Iraqi News
Al-Sahhaf: Seven Iraqis Voluntarily Returned from Libya Due to Illegal Migration
Baghdad-INA The Iraqi Embassy in Libya announced on Friday the return of seven Iraqis who had entered Libya with the aim of illegally migrating to Europe. The Chargé d'Affaires of the Iraqi Embassy, Ahmed Al-Sahhaf, said in a statement received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA): that "The Iraqi Embassy in Tripoli, keen to implement the priority of voluntary return, succeeded, after intensive efforts, in voluntarily returning seven Iraqis to Iraq." He added that "the return of the Iraqi citizens took place in coordination with the relevant authorities in the Government of National Unity in Tripoli and the Foreign Relations Committee of the Iraqi Parliament."
