Behind the scenes of the parliament session: A verbal altercation between Al-Mashhadani and the Framework deputies led to its postponement.

A parliamentary source revealed on Monday that a verbal altercation broke out inside the House of Representatives between Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani, First Deputy Speaker Mohsen al-Mandalawi, and a number of Coordination Framework MPs, leading to the postponement of today’s session.

The source told Shafaq News Agency that the dispute erupted over Al-Mashhadani’s recent statements regarding the political process and elections.

He added, “The number of MPs present at today’s session exceeded 180, but the dispute led to Al-Mashhadani leaving the session hall and the postponement of the session until further notice.”

The source indicated that members of Parliament are currently holding a meeting in the parliament’s cafeteria to discuss collecting signatures from MPs to remove Al-Mashhadani from his position.

A short while ago, the House of Representatives Presidency issued a brief statement confirming the postponement of the parliamentary session until further notice due to a lack of quorum.

Al-Mashhadani appeared in a televised interview yesterday, saying that the coming period could witness demonstrations leading to an emergency government. He also described the Iraqi identity as “ridiculous.”

Shafaq.com

Oil Minister informs Parliament: We have not reached an agreement with Kurdistan

A member of the parliamentary oil committee, Bahaa al-Din Nouri, revealed on Monday that federal oil minister Hayan Abdul Ghani confirmed that the Kurdistan Region would not abide by the agreement regarding exports via the Turkish-Ceyhan pipeline. Nouri also indicated that a delegation from the region would arrive in Baghdad.

Nouri told Shafaq News Agency, “The committee held a meeting today in the House of Representatives and hosted the Minister of Oil and senior staff from the ministry to inquire and discuss a number of important laws.”

He added, “The meeting discussed the Kurdistan Region’s oil file and the status of negotiations between the central government and the region. According to the minister, there are points of disagreement in the negotiations, and no conclusion has been reached, including local consumption and the transfer of financial revenues to the federal government.”

He stressed that ” the Ministry of Oil has completed all procedures and the region’s oil can be exported via the Turkish-Ceyhan pipeline, but the region has not complied with what was agreed upon in Article 12 of the budget law, especially since the consulting company is ready, but the region has also refused its entry.”

He added, ” A delegation from the regional government will visit Baghdad within the next 24 hours to reach an agreement in accordance with the proposed proposals.”

The Iraqi Parliament’s Oil, Gas, and Natural Resources Committee announced that it would host the Minister of Oil and a number of senior ministry officials on Monday to discuss issues described as “serious.”

“The meeting will focus on what he described as a structural collapse within the Ministry of Oil, amid indications of the influence of external parties, including a figure called ‘Omid,’ who has come to control sensitive areas within the ministry,” the committee’s spokesman, MP Ali Shaddad, told Shafaq News Agency.

Shaddad pointed out that “Iraq faces the risk of US sanctions being imposed on the Ministry of Oil due to violations and mismanagement that could be interpreted as a breach of international obligations,” warning that this “could lead to widespread economic paralysis and a collapse in the country’s financial revenue stream.”

The US Treasury Department had previously imposed a package of sanctions on individuals and entities involved in fuel smuggling and illicit gains that fund armed groups in the region. International reports warned that official Iraqi institutions could also be subject to these measures if their complicity or leniency is proven.

Iraq’s budget is almost entirely dependent on oil exports, making any sanctions on the Ministry of Oil or its companies, such as SOMO, a direct threat to economic stability.

Shafaq.com

Arepresentative calls for reporting absences in newspapers and implementing financial deductions to control Parliament’s performance.

MP Haider Al-Mutairi confirmed on Monday that he had submitted an official request to implement the House of Representatives’ internal regulations, in order to activate the chamber’s work during its final legislative session of the current term and strengthen its oversight and legislative role.

Al-Mutairi told Al-Maalouma, “Activating the work of the House of Representatives requires practical measures, including publishing the names of present and absent representatives in a local newspaper, in addition to publishing them in the House’s official bulletin, in order to enhance transparency for the public.”

He added, “The request also included activating financial deductions for unjustified absences, in accordance with the provisions of the internal regulations, as a measure that would support parliamentary discipline and encourage effective attendance at sessions.”

Al-Mutairi pointed out that “this step comes within the framework of the Council’s keenness to enact a set of important laws and exercise the oversight role required of it during the remainder of the current session.”

Burathanews.com

Budget tables: a legislative priority before the end of the session

As the legislative recess approaches its end, parliamentary demands are mounting for the approval of the general budget schedules before the conclusion of the current parliamentary session. This demand is a pivotal tool for ensuring the provision of services and the implementation of government programs, given the economic challenges facing the country.

Member of Parliament Taama Al-Lahibi told Al-Sabah that “the budget schedules represent a top priority at the present time and cannot be postponed to the next legislative session, as they constitute the backbone of the work of ministries and institutions.” He warned that “delaying them will lead to the disruption of service projects and the exacerbation of financial crises in the governorates.”

Al-Lahibi added, “There are other important laws that could be discussed or postponed later, but the failure to approve the financial schedules at this time means a continued stagnation in project implementation and a delay in the disbursement of dues and allocations, which will negatively impact citizens’ lives.”

The MP called on the House of Representatives Presidency and political blocs to “assume their responsibilities and not be lenient in passing the agendas, as they directly impact the daily lives of citizens and the performance of state institutions across various sectors.”

Al-Lahibi pointed out that the current legislative session is nearing its end, requiring all parties to intensify efforts to establish priorities and close pending issues before the new session begins.

Alsabaah.iq

Clarification regarding the “local card” launched by the Central Bank of Iraq

An informed source revealed, on Monday, details about the local card project that was announced. Central Bank of Iraq recently.

The source said to Alsumaria News “Local card” means a system of payment cards in Iraqi dinars that is Central Bank of Iraq Responsible for it and monitoring it, and it operates on simple commissions, given that all its operations take place within the country and in dinars and do not pass through international networks such as Visa and MasterCard.

He added, “We can liken this to the issue of conducting…Calls Local with its usual fees, but when we go outside the country, we bear the roaming fees… and therefore any bank or payment company in Iraq According to the new mechanism, customers can be issued a local card, and the customer can also take another card linked to Visa and MasterCard to use outside the country.”

He continued: “Therefore, the issue of creating a local card and what is said about it that (there is a final isolation from Visa And Master) is not true; the evidence is that any Western or Arab citizen now has a number of cards in his wallet and he is free to use any card according to his need and ability to bear wages and other things.

” He noted that “many countries have local cards such as Saudi Arabia (Mada) also has cards issued by Visa and MasterCard, and America as well (AMERICA EXPRESS), knowing that it owns Visa and MasterCard companies, and even The UAE(Gion), Egypt (Feature), Netherlands PIN, India RUPAY, Russia MIR, and Singapore NETS.”

He explained that “these cards work like any other card (withdrawal, purchase, ATMs, points of sale).”

Regarding the features and benefits of the local card, the source pointed out that “one of the advantages is that it operates in dinars only, and that any transaction in dollars or other foreign currency will continue to pass through the usual international channels.”

He added, “Iraq is cooperating with international companies to build the technical infrastructure. The Central Bank already has an advanced national switch built through global partnerships, and the national scheme will operate on top of this same infrastructure with strict adherence to EMVCO, ISO, and PCI standards. That is, cooperation with global companies “It is ongoing, and it does not cancel the adoption of a local national brand for paying salaries or government collection operations and reducing reliance on cash,” he said, considering that “the project has developmental goals and is part of the reforms to reduce reliance on cash, support the electronic localization of salaries, and increase transparency, not to close commercial doors.”

He stressed that “Iraq does not choose isolation, but rather chooses to diversify payment channels, protect pure local dinar transaction data from external pressures, and establish an infrastructure that can be integrated (and not separated from the world).”

He continued, saying: “Since 2020, it has been seeking US To control dollar flows and reduce non-compliance, adopting a national scheme in dinars only enables regulatory authorities to set compliance rules tailored to local transactions in accordance with international best practices without subjecting them to dollar transaction restrictions. This enhances internal transparency and spares the banking system the burden of controls that do not apply to dinar movement.

He pointed out that “many countries, such as Saudi Arabia (Mada), India (RuPay),Singapore(NETS), and other countries have implemented successful national schemes that are integrated with international networks. These countries are allies of Washington, which confirms that a national scheme does not mean international isolation.

” He added: The lesson By applying compliance and transparency, not by denying the idea from its roots, this is achieved by the presence of a parallel reform roadmap represented by the banking sector reform project undertaken by the bank in cooperation with the company. Oliver We are currently working to develop the sector and integrate it strongly into the global financial system and make it more acceptable and reliable. Then the time will be right to launch the Co-Badge version when the sector is ready, so that the card will carry the national Scheme logo alongside an international logo to ensure Acceptance The source concluded by emphasizing that ” the

national scheme is not a means of evading oversight, but rather a tool for bringing it back to Iraq and controlling it technologically by implementing it alongside banking system reforms. Iraq will gain lower transaction costs, greater transparency in salaries and government support, and greater international confidence because the dollar’s movement will remain subject to global standards.”

Alsumaria.tv

Government decision to reduce the amount of issuing electronic payment cards by 50%

Issued Ministerial Council for the Economy Today, Monday, a decision was issued to reduce the amount of electronic payment card issuance by 50% and to reduce the amount of electronic payment commissions deducted by 5 per thousand.

A statement issued by the Council, received by Alsumaria News That “deputy prime minister Minister of Foreign Affairs Fouad Hussein Chaired the twenty-first session of the Council Ministerial For the economy, which was held in the Council building in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Planning, Ministers of Finance, Trade, Agriculture, Labor and Social Affairs, and the Governor Central Bank of Iraq Chairman of the Securities Commission and Vice Chairman National Investment Authority”

He added, “The Council hosted the general managers of the Oil Products Distribution Company, Information Technology at the Central Bank, the Enforcement Department at the Ministry of Justice, and a representative of…Ministry of Interior“ The Council decided, according to the statement, to reduce the amount of issuing electronic payment cards by 50% ,

provided that the issuance amount does not exceed 5,000 dinars. The Council also decided to reduce the amount of electronic payment commissions deducted to be five per thousand, while continuing to work with the currently approved upper limits for use regarding the purchase of petroleum products by citizens from fuel filling stations, with the implementation of Ministry of Oil/The Oil Products Distribution Company shall increase the percentage of use of electronic payment operations by no less than 50% of all its transactions, including obligating the private sector (constructed gas stations) with the above, and within a period of six months from the date of issuance of this decision. Electronic payment companies shall abide by this decision as of 1/1/2026.”

He added, “In order to support brick manufacturing plants and ensure the employment of workers in them and work in a healthy and environmentally sound environment, especially in plants adjacent to residential areas, the Council decided to recommend to cabinet The price of liquefied gas supplied to brick factories will be 250,000 dinars per ton.

The Council also decided to approve the Ministry of Oil’s request to grant the required exception in applying the provisions of the standard documents for the project, which are related to the rehabilitation and installation of gas compressors at the site. Al-Rumaila Northern.”

The Council decided to “approve the Ministry of Electricity’s request to cancel the decision to withdraw work for the second time from the company implementing the project to construct two buildings for the Amerli and Al-Farhatiya power stations.”

The Council reviewed the agricultural report and the status of dam water and plant and animal production prepared by Ministry of Agriculture Among the most important recommendations included in the report:

– Giving priority to agricultural investment in general and in promising areas in the desert In particular.

– Continuing to support agricultural inputs and outputs and protecting them from imported products.

– Adopting a policy of rationalizing water use and enhancing Water Resources Management Combating desertification, developing irrigation strategies, and using modern irrigation technologies.

– Supporting the private agricultural sector in all its fields.

Alsumaria.tv

A Kurdish delegation is back in Baghdad to discuss the terms of the agreement with the Sudanese government.

A Kurdistan Regional Government delegation arrived in Baghdad on Monday for the second time in two weeks to discuss the latest efforts to reach an agreement with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s government.

According to a Shafaq News Agency correspondent, the delegation conveyed the regional government’s response to the proposals presented by the federal government, in preparation for initiating discussions on them and reaching a common understanding.

These developments come as the Iraqi Council of Ministers is expected to hold its regular session tomorrow, Tuesday, during which a vote is likely to be held on the final version of the agreement between Erbil and Baghdad.

Shafaq.com

Trump puts Iraq at a crossroads: join the West or face sanctions

A US report reveals President Donald Trump’s persistent efforts to draw Iraq toward the Western axis, stressing that the US Treasury’s recent sanctions on Iraqi oil networks involved in smuggling for Iran are likely to hinder international investment in the oil and gas sector and ports planned by Baghdad.

A report by the American oil website Oil Price, translated by Shafaq News Agency, stated that “the Trump administration has escalated its pressure on the Iranian regime, just weeks after the attack on Tehran’s nuclear facilities, and has tightened the “maximum pressure” sanctions imposed by Trump, as Washington announced new designations that included more than 30 tankers, entities, and individuals.”

The report pointed out that the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) stated on Thursday that the targeted networks transport billions of dollars worth of Iranian oil and include designations of companies linked to British and Iraqi citizen Salim Ahmed Saeed, who is accused of selling Iranian oil falsely declared as Iraqi oil since at least 2020. The designations also address Iraq-based operations that blend Iranian oil with Iraqi oil and sell it as Iraqi or Emirati oil.

According to the report, “One target is the VS Oil Terminal in the Iraqi port of Khor al-Zubair, owned by Saeed and housing six oil tanks. OFAC has also observed ship-to-ship transfers occurring near this terminal. Lloyd’s List has previously reported that forged documents and manipulated data are routinely used to disguise Iranian oil. Other designations include the UAE-based VS Tankers FZE, the Marshall Islands-flagged supertanker Tigris, and 11 other tankers used in Iranian oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments.”

He explained that “some of the vessels were involved in sales operations for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force. The designations also included Sai Saburi Consulting Services, an India-based ship management company (linked to the sanctioned Pakistani trading company Alliance Energy), and the Singaporean company Trans Arctic Global Marine Services.”

The report continued: “For Iraq, the implications are significant. While Baghdad seeks to boost investment and cooperation with the West, US sanctions targeting Iraqi-linked operators could hinder international investment in the oil, gas, and ports sectors. Baghdad also needs more natural gas, and the broader US-Israeli conflict with Iran, along with Washington’s efforts to limit Iranian influence in Iraq, are increasing political and economic instability.”

He pointed out that “Iran’s grip on Iraq has weakened recently, but the militias remain active, and Baghdad is also embroiled in a dispute with the Kurdistan Regional Government over oil contracts and revenue sharing.” He noted that “Washington’s involvement in the dynamics of Iranian-Iraqi relations has begun to deepen, and that Trump’s strategy is based on two axes: pressuring Tehran to negotiate, drawing Iraq into the Western orbit, and confronting the growing regional role of China and Russia.”

Shafaq.com

Shafaq News monitors errors in Iraqi financial revenue tables.

The Iraqi Ministry of Finance announced on Monday that federal budget revenues from January through the end of April 2025 exceeded 28 trillion and 55 billion dinars, compared to general budget revenues through the end of March, which amounted to 27 trillion and 248 billion dinars.

After Shafaq News Agency’s economics department verified the increase in announced revenues up to April, amounting to only 802 billion dinars. This indicates an error in the figures published by the ministry on its official website, which supposedly increased monthly revenues by between 7 and 10 trillion dinars.

The Ministry of Finance had previously announced that January revenues exceeded 7 trillion dinars, while revenues by the end of February had reached more than 17 trillion dinars, and by March 27 trillion dinars.

Accordingly, financial revenues through April are expected to exceed 38 trillion dinars, instead of the 28 trillion dinars mentioned in the financial revenues table.

These data confirm the existence of an error in the revenue tables published by the Ministry of Finance, which requires a thorough review and urgent correction to ensure the accuracy of the official data.

Shafaq.com

Prime Minister: Gasoline imports will end this year and we will move to exporting petroleum products.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani confirmed on Monday that gasoline imports will end this year and that Iraq will transition to exporting petroleum products. The Prime Minister’s media office stated in a statement that “the Diwaniyah refinery will process liquefied natural gas with a capacity of 180 tons per day and improve gasoline with a capacity of 10,000 barrels per day.”

He also stated that “we have transformed from a country that imports petroleum products to one that meets its needs with the exception of importing a small amount of gasoline,” noting that “gasoline imports will end this year.”

Burathanews.com