Syrian Finance Minister from Washington: The 2026 budget ends the era of “printing money”.

Syrian Finance Minister Yasser Barneh confirmed on Monday that Damascus has succeeded in establishing entirely new financial standards aimed at restoring international and local confidence in the national economy, noting that the 2026 budget represents a radical shift in the state’s priorities by focusing on education, health and reconstruction.

In reviewing the results of 2025 and the expectations for the new year, Barneh revealed, during a conference at the Middle East Institute in Washington, which was attended by a correspondent from Shafaq News Agency, unprecedented figures in the history of Syrian budgets, saying: “For the first time in the history of Syria, spending on education, health care and social services exceeds allocations for defense and security. We have allocated more than 40% of the 2026 budget to vital sectors that directly affect the lives of citizens.”

The minister explained that the government raised the minimum wage from $17 to $110, with salary increases in some professional sectors ranging from 400% to 700%, stressing that the goal is to bridge the cost of living gap despite the magnitude of the challenges.

Regarding the budget deficit, Barneh emphasized the ministry’s commitment to a policy of “strict fiscal discipline.” He announced that the government intends to finance the projected 2026 deficit (estimated at $1.842 billion) through sustainable financial instruments such as issuing bonds, rather than relying on “printing money” as was the practice in previous decades.

Regarding the 2025 results, Bernieh confirmed that the budget achieved a surplus that was used as a strong signal to international markets about the seriousness of the new fiscal policies.

On the subject of combating corruption, the minister stated that transparency is the primary weapon for building trust, pointing to the issuance of the “Citizen’s Budget” to simplify the figures for the public.

Barnieh pointed out that his ministry no longer issues laws or circulars “behind closed doors,” but rather adopts a public consultation approach with the business sector, academics, and civil society. He added, “My first task was to rebuild bridges with the business community to ensure that every financial decision taken is the product of a genuine partnership.”

In closing, Barnieh addressed a message to the American side and the international community, calling for a change in the stereotypical view towards Syria, saying: “We do not rely on promises but on concrete policies and reports issued by international institutions. Invest in Syria, as we are moving in the right direction to build a transparent and strong economy.”

According to the minister, the most prominent points of the 2026 budget are the minimum wage: raised to $110, and social spending: representing 40% of the budget (higher than security and defense).

He pointed out that the expected deficit is $1.84 billion (financed through bonds, not printing money). As for transparency, he said that there will be no financial legislation without consulting the private sector and civil society.

Shafaq.com

The US aircraft carrier “George Bush” in the Mediterranean Sea

International shipping data on Monday indicated that the US aircraft carrier “George H.W. Bush” is currently in the Mediterranean Sea.

Fox News reported that navigational data revealed the presence of the US aircraft carrier at the same time as the United States announced the start of the US blockade on Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz at 10:00 AM Eastern Time today.

US President Donald Trump ordered the blockade after peace talks with Tehran collapsed at the end of this week. A map of US ships in the region showed at least 17 vessels deployed as of Monday morning, according to Fox News.

The U.S. Central Command announced plans to impose the blockade earlier on Monday in a notice to mariners.

The memo stated: “Any vessel entering or leaving the blockaded area without authorization is subject to interception, diversion and detention.”

Shafaq.com

Iraqi factions set a “red line” for resuming operations against US interests.

A leader in one of the armed factions confirmed on Monday that the decision to stop attacks against American interests inside Iraq and throughout the region is directly linked to the declared truce between Washington and Tehran, and any new targeting of Iran will witness an immediate and “large” return of targeting operations.

The leader told Shafaq News Agency, “This cessation is temporary and conditional, and any breach of the truce, especially in the event of a resumption of American-Israeli targeting of Iran, will be met with an immediate return to operations by the factions affiliated with the group, with the possibility of escalating them further than before.”

The leader, who asked not to be named, added that “the decision to halt operations at the present time is not related to any internal mediation or political pressure, and there is no interference from Iraqi political or governmental parties in this decision. What is happening is a tactical commitment related exclusively to the declared period of calm.”

He added that “the factions are closely monitoring the course of events, and their options remain open in case the field data changes. The next stage depends on the behavior of international and regional parties, and the continuation of calm is exclusively linked to the continued commitment to the truce and the avoidance of escalation.”

He pointed out that “the Resistance Coordination includes four main factions, namely Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba, Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada, and Ansar Allah al-Awfiya Movement.”

The head of the Design Alliance, Amer Al-Fayez, announced yesterday, Sunday, the success of the committee tasked by the Coordination Framework with negotiating with the armed factions to stop their operations against American interests .

Al-Fayez, one of the leaders of the Coordination Framework, told Shafaq News Agency that “the committee headed by the Secretary-General of the Badr Organization, Hadi al-Amiri, which was authorized by the Framework to negotiate with the armed factions, succeeded in its mission and obtained a conditional truce ,” explaining that “the truce stipulates that the factions stop their operations against American interests and diplomatic missions, in exchange for America and Israel committing not to escalate militarily and target the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization Forces and the factions .”

Last Tuesday, US President Donald Trump announced a two-week truce that included a halt to the war with Iran, before a round of negotiations began two days ago in Islamabad between the two sides.

The latest round of negotiations, which lasted more than 20 hours, came amid international hopes that a long-term truce could be established between Washington and Tehran, but the two delegations left early Sunday morning without any agreement, despite what was described as “the highest level of negotiating representation since 1979 “.

According to political leaks reported by multiple sources, the main points of contention revolved around three central issues (the Iranian nuclear program, especially the issue of uranium enrichment, the issue of Iranian regional influence, and the Strait of Hormuz), including fees and maritime passage.

A short while ago, the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz began, seeking to intercept any ship arriving at or leaving Iranian ports, or any ship paying transit fees to Tehran.

Shafaq.com

Global Tech supports Iraqi digital infrastructure with innovative solutions and global standards.

GlobalTek , a professional solutions company, pledged to support the digital infrastructure in Iraq by providing innovative solutions that keep pace with global developments according to best global practices.

The company said in a statement that it “continues to consolidate its position in the data center sector in Iraq, by providing integrated solutions based on the highest international standards to ensure business continuity and performance efficiency.”

The company noted that it “relies on more than 20 years of experience, during which it has implemented more than 60 projects in various vital sectors, including banks, government institutions and major companies.”

As part of its commitment to international standards, the company explained that it “operates in accordance with the requirements of the Uptime Global Foundation, and relies on technical and engineering staff who have obtained international certificates and accreditations, reflecting its reliability as a technical partner capable of implementing infrastructure and data center projects according to best global practices.”

She explained that “it has strategic partnerships with a select group of major global companies such as Huawei , Vertiv , Schneider Electric and Eaton , which enhances its ability to provide advanced and integrated solutions that meet the requirements of projects at various levels.”

According to the statement, ” GlobalTek’s services are not limited to the implementation phase only, but extend to include the entire project cycle, starting from study, design and preparation through implementation to management, operation and maintenance, ensuring the highest levels of reliability and sustainability.”

GlobalTek affirms its continued commitment to supporting the digital infrastructure in Iraq by providing innovative solutions that keep pace with global developments and meet the needs of institutions in operational environments.

Miliq.news

Awad: The process of selecting the prime minister is demanding and requires broad consensus.

The head of the Sadiqun parliamentary bloc, Uday Awad, described on Monday the stage of resolving the issue of the prime ministership as “pressuring,” stressing the need to form a government that enjoys broad political support to enable it to manage sensitive issues.

Awad told Al-Maalomah, “The current stage regarding the selection of the prime minister is characterized by significant pressure, given the magnitude of the challenges and pressures that political forces may face in resolving this matter.”
He added, “The next stage requires choosing a figure capable of gaining the trust and support of the influential political forces,” explaining that “this support represents a fundamental guarantee for enabling the government to address important issues.”
He pointed out that “political consensus will give the next government additional strength in confronting crises and managing state institutions efficiently, avoiding confusion.”

Almaalomah.me

Until further notice, disagreements postpone the coordination framework meeting.

A political source reported on Monday that the meeting of the Coordination Framework scheduled for this evening has been postponed until further notice, noting that the postponement was due to “disagreements” among the members of the framework.

The source told Shafaq News Agency that “the meeting was scheduled to be held at the home of the leader of the Wisdom Movement, Ammar al-Hakim.”

He added that “the postponement came as a result of some leaders of the framework boycotting the meeting, which prompted its postponement until the attendance of all leaders is confirmed in order to resolve the issue of the premiership in accordance with the constitutional period after the election of the President of the Republic, which is 15 days from the date of the election of the President of the Republic.”

The Iraqi parliament elected Nizar Amidi, the candidate of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party, as the new president of the republic on Saturday.

The head of the Design Alliance, Amer Al-Fayez, revealed yesterday, Sunday, that the coordinating framework intends to discuss the names of 9 candidates for the premiership in its meeting tomorrow.

A political source revealed on Saturday that Basim al-Badri is considered a compromise candidate within the coordination framework for the position of the next Iraqi Prime Minister, at a time when the leaders of the framework are preparing to hold a meeting soon to officially decide on the candidate’s name.

Shafaq.com

Exclusive: The religious authority reiterates its position: We will not interfere in the selection of the prime ministerial candidate.

The religious authority in Najaf reiterated on Monday its commitment not to interfere in the selection of the prime minister candidate, confirming its previous stance on this matter.

A source close to the religious authority told Shafaq News Agency that “the religious authority does not interfere in the matter of choosing a prime ministerial candidate,” indicating that it “has previously conveyed several messages to the forces of the Coordination Framework regarding its clear position on this issue.”

The source added that “the religious authority has closed its doors to politicians at the present stage,” indicating its refusal to engage in dialogues or consultations related to nominating candidates for senior positions.

The framework is preparing to hold a meeting this evening, Monday, to discuss nine candidates, amid the introduction of alternative names, including a consensus candidate, after the largest bloc called for naming its candidate in accordance with Article 76 of the Constitution, in light of political and security complications that may delay the resolution of the issue, according to a political source.

This meeting comes after the Speaker of Parliament called on the largest parliamentary bloc to nominate its candidate for Prime Minister within a maximum period of 15 days, following the election of the President of the Republic.

Last Saturday, the Iraqi parliament elected Nizar Amidi, the candidate of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan party, as the new president of the republic.

The Coordination Framework had officially nominated Maliki on January 24, a move that opened the door to negotiations to form the new government, but the process faltered as disagreements continued over the election of the President of the Republic, the constitutional entitlement that precedes assigning the candidate of the largest bloc to form the government.

The process of forming a government faces additional complications, most notably the declared American position regarding al-Maliki’s return to power, and the escalating security tensions in the region, which puts political forces before the challenge of maintaining the “quota system” that has been in place since 2003 or sliding towards a comprehensive political deadlock.

Shafaq.com

Discussion on Iraq in Washington: Issues of sovereignty, politics, and economics

Iraq has once again found itself caught in the middle of a conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran, which has exposed the political and economic weaknesses in Iraq that have existed since the 2003 invasion, especially after Tehran was subjected to an American-Israeli attack, and the Iraqi factions allied with it responded with attacks on American assets in Iraq, including the embassy, ​​according to what was published by the American website “Washington Report”.

The American website published a report , translated by Shafaq News Agency, summarizing a virtual panel discussion in which experts on Iraqi affairs participated, including former US Ambassador to Baghdad Douglas Silliman, who currently heads the US Gulf States Institute in Washington. The discussion aimed to explore how the Iran-Iraq War would affect Iraq, which remains weak and struggling due to the 2003 invasion.

The report quoted Silliman as saying that the current reality reveals Iraq’s lack of true sovereignty, explaining that the country does not control its airspace, has non-governmental armed militias allied with a foreign state operating within its borders, and does not enjoy energy independence as it relies heavily on Iran for electricity and gas.

In addition, Silliman pointed out that Iraq is heavily dependent on the United States, as it is required to deposit all oil revenues in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, recalling that US President Donald Trump recently threatened to withhold these funds if Iraq allowed former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to return to power.

According to Silliman, as quoted by the Washington Report, this war should be a wake-up call for leaders in Baghdad to start taking sovereignty issues seriously, explaining that the problem is that corruption is still widespread, and many political parties and leaders are thinking about their own selfish interests rather than national interests.

The former US ambassador to Baghdad continued, saying that, for example, corrupt leaders hampered efforts to diversify Iraq’s oil exports through Jordan and Turkey and obstructed attempts to attract much-needed private sector development to diversify the country’s oil-dependent economy.

The report quoted him as saying that “this culture of corruption and the lack of a system that actually provides economic opportunities for Iraqis has turned into a real problem.”

The report noted the lack of land routes for the country’s oil exports, given that Iraqi oil is supposed to be transported almost entirely through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed, noting that oil revenues account for about 90% of the country’s budget.

In the same virtual discussion, Luay Al-Khatib, an advisor at the American University in Iraq, warned, according to the report, that the Iraqi government would be forced to resort to severe austerity measures if the war continued, considering that it should reduce public sector salaries by no less than 50% or delay them.

He pointed out that if the government does not do this, Baghdad will have to print a huge amount of money, which will lead to increased inflation. He also noted that Baghdad must reduce the large subsidies on basic commodities such as fuel and electricity to protect the state budget and ease demand in case energy supplies become scarce.

He added that “without controlling the level of demand, it will be impossible to provide sustainable services.”

For his part, the report quoted Boston College political science assistant professor Mersin Alshammari as saying that most Iraqis, regardless of their religion or politics, “have no appetite” for war, adding that “Iraq is no stranger to being caught between Iran and Washington; this is essentially the story of Iraq after 2003, so it has some experience in maneuvering.”

According to Al-Shammari, “There is a large part of the Shiite population in Iraq who do not want to go to Iran’s aid, and who do not want to be part of this conflict at all,” adding that the reality indicates that some Shiites believe that the Islamic Republic regime has had a negative impact on Iraq’s development after 2003.

The report noted that the highest Shiite authority, Sayyid Ali al-Sistani, has always been skeptical of Iranian and American interference in Iraqi affairs, recalling that after Israel and the United States attacked Iran, he issued a statement that many described as moderate, expressing sympathy for the victims of the attack and condemning the war, but he did not attempt to mobilize the masses.

According to Al-Shammari, as reported in the report, this approach is typical of the Najaf school of Shiites, led by Sistani, explaining that Sistani is not silent as some believe, but rather “gives priority to the stability of society and the stability of the country,” and that Sistani and his followers are “political realists.”

The report quoted Al-Shammari as saying that if the Sistani religious authority had issued a fatwa after the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, stating that the Shiite community should rise up against the forces that assassinated him, then that would have “ended in a very violent and tragic war that would encompass the entire region and destroy the lives of millions of people.”

He continued, saying that “the important point is to try to find a solution that maintains stability and protects the peace that Iraqis have achieved with difficulty, at the present time.”

Shafaq.co

“Reconstruction” anticipates the framework meeting: Al-Sudani to be Prime Minister for a second term within 48 hours

The Reconstruction and Development Coalition confirmed on Monday that its leader, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, could be tasked with forming the new Iraqi government within the next 48 hours.

Coalition leader Khalid Walid told Shafaq News Agency that “the Reconstruction and Development Coalition is strongly putting forward the coalition’s leader, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, as a candidate to form the next Iraqi government,” stressing that “al-Sudani currently has a very large majority within the coordination framework, as there are more than 9 leaders within the framework who support al-Sudani and renewing his second term.”

At the national level, outside the coordination framework of other Iraqi political parties, Walid indicated that there is support from a majority of those parties for Al-Sudani to be tasked with forming the new government.

He continued: “We believe that the next (48) hours could be decisive regarding assigning Al-Sudani the task of forming the new Iraqi government, especially in light of the challenges facing Iraq, which certainly require forming a government that enjoys broad political support and is capable of overcoming all the crises the country is going through.”

The coordinating framework intends to hold a crucial meeting on Monday evening to discuss the names of nine candidates for the next prime ministership, according to the head of the Design Alliance, Amer Al-Fayez.

A political source revealed last Saturday that Basim al-Badri is considered a compromise candidate within the coordination framework for the position of the next Iraqi Prime Minister, at a time when the leaders of the framework are preparing to hold a meeting soon to officially decide on the candidate’s name.

This comes after the Speaker of Parliament called on the largest parliamentary bloc to nominate its candidate for Prime Minister within a maximum period of 15 days, based on Article 76 of the Constitution, following the election of the President of the Republic.

The process of forming a government faces additional complications, most notably the declared American position regarding al-Maliki’s return to power, and the escalating security tensions in the region, which puts political forces before the challenge of maintaining the “quota system” that has been in place since 2003 or sliding towards a comprehensive political deadlock.

Shafaq.com

US military: Any ship entering or leaving the blockaded area will be intercepted.

The US military confirmed on Monday that it would intercept any vessel entering or leaving the blockaded area.

The US military said in a memo to mariners: Neutral vessels may be subject to inspection for smuggled goods.

He added: We will not impede passage through the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian destinations, and any ship entering or leaving the blockaded area will be intercepted.

He continued: We will impose maritime control in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.

The US military announced that it will begin imposing a blockade on all ships heading to or departing from Iranian ports, while allowing passage to ships that do not stop in Iran, in a move aimed at strangling Tehran’s oil exports .

In contrast, Iran strongly rejected this move, with Mohsen Rezaei, the Supreme Leader’s military advisor, asserting that his country “will not allow” the imposition of the blockade, noting that it possesses “great untapped capabilities” to counter it .

The Revolutionary Guard also warned that “any military approach to the strait will be considered a violation of the ceasefire, raising the chances of direct friction in one of the most sensitive waterways in the world.”

Shafaq.com