28-07-2025
Iraqi MPs urge government to pressure Turkiye over water shortage
Shafaq News – Baghdad
On Monday, the Iraqi Parliament's Agriculture, Water, and Marshes Committee called on the federal government to take urgent action against Turkiye for failing to honor its agreement to release Iraq's designated share of water, amid worsening water scarcity across the country.
Committee member Thaer Mukhayef told Shafaq News Agency that Turkiye's ongoing policy of restricting water flows to Iraq is 'inflicting severe consequences and could soon result in critical shortages of drinking water.'
"While traveling through Babil province, I witnessed protesters setting tires ablaze in outrage over water cuts to their farms," Mukhayef said, adding that 'the land has gone dry, devastating livelihoods and dealing a heavy blow to the local economy."
'There is no alternative, the Prime Minister must go to Turkiye himself and resolve this crisis directly. The promises Turkiye made to Speaker of Parliament Mahmoud al-Mashhadani were nothing but lies—none have materialized into meaningful action,' he stated.
Mukhayef stressed that the Committee would continue to press through official channels to safeguard Iraq's water rights and push for a resolution to the crisis.
Iraq has experienced a sharp decline in water levels in recent years, driven largely by upstream restrictions—particularly from Turkiye, which controls the flow of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers through extensive dam and reservoir networks.
Although Turkiye has recently increased water discharges in partial response to diplomatic efforts, Baghdad continues to press for a lasting, equitable water-sharing agreement to secure Iraq's long-term water stability.
