Archive | Politics

Iraq Business News brings you the latest Iraqi politics news, keeping you up to date with the latest information and developments.

Iraq's Parliament Approves Govt Programme

By John Lee. Iraq's Council of Representatives (Parliament) on Thursday approved by a majority the government programme presented by Prime Minister Mr. Mustafa Al-Kadhimi. The programme is a general framework that sets out the government priorities, which include: Holding free and fair early elections after finalising the new electoral law Mobilising all resources to combat […]

Parliament Approves Kadhimi Government (Full Listing)

By John Lee. Iraq's Council of Representatives (Parliament) on Thursday approved fifteen candidates nominated by Prime Minister  Mustafa Al-Kadhimi for membership of the Council of Ministers (the Cabinet). Reuters reports that voting on the oil and foreign ministries was delayed as the parties failed to agree on candidates. The parliament rejected Kadhimi's picks for justice, […]

Iraq Cuts Federal Budget from KRG

By Dana Taib Menmy for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraq cuts federal budget from KRG, Kurds defy it as political Adel Abdul Mahdi's Iraqi caretaker government in Baghdad April 16 has ordered its Finance Ministry in an official document […]

Coronavirus "to Raise Poverty Rate to over 20%"

From Middle East Monitor, under a Creative Commons licence. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Coronavirus to raise poverty rate in Iraq to over 20%, warns minister Iraq's poverty rate is expected to rise to more than 20 per cent as […]

US Treasury Dept Designates Iraqi National

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated dual Iranian and Iraqi national Amir Dianat, a longtime associate of senior officials of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF). Dianat, who is also known as Ameer Abdulazeez Jaafar Almthaje, is involved in IRGC-QF efforts to generate revenue and smuggle […]

Names in the Running for Cabinet Positions

As Prime Minister-designate Mustafa Kadhimi (pictured) attempts to form a new government, the following names are said to be in the running for cabinet positions, according to Hassan Hadad (@abufellah) on Twitter:

Pompeo urges End to Sectarian Quotas in Iraq

By John Lee. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged Iraqi leaders to put aside the country's sectarian quota system to help form of a new government. At a press briefing on Wednesday, he said: "In Iraq, we're watching closely as Prime Minister-designate Mustafa Kadhami enters the third week of trying to form his […]

Protesters return to Tahrir Square, denounce PM-Designate

From Middle East Monitor, under a Creative Commons licence. Any opinions expressed here are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraqi protesters gathered in Tahrir Square in the capital Baghdad after the government scaled back some of its anti-coronavirus measures during the month of Ramadan, Anadolu Agency reported […]

Back to the Future on US-Iraq Strategic Dialogue

By Adnan Abu Zeed for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Back to the future on US-Iraq strategic dialogue It looks like Baghdad and Washington will try once again to settle their differences over the presence of US troops in Iraq. Both sides […]

Baghdad "Halts Payments to KRG"

By John Lee. Baghdad is said to have stopped payments to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). Writing for Argus Media, Rowena Edwards says central government will also seek to recover payments made since the start of the year, in the absence of KRG transfers of crude oil, which were part of the as-yet-unsigned 2020 budget. […]

Why is it So Hard for Iraq to Form a Govt?

By Dr Renad Mansour for the Royal Institute for International Affairs (Chatham House). Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Why is it So Hard for Iraq to Form A Government? Mustafa al-Kadhimi has emerged as the compromise prime minister designate, but his potential […]