Archive | Politics

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

US Allows Iraq to Postpone $2.7bn for Arms Purchases

By John Lee. The US government has said it will allow the Iraqi government to postpone the payment of $2.7 billion for arms purchases. On a visit to Baghdad, US Special Presidential Envoy Brett McGurk (pictured) met with Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, Speaker of Parliament Saleem al-Jibouri, and the governors of Diyala, Salah ad-Din, Ninewa […]

Fitch revises Iraq's Outlook to Negative

Fitch Ratings has revised its outlook on Iraq's Long-term foreign currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to Negative from Stable and affirmed the IDR at 'B-'. The Country Ceiling has been affirmed at 'B-' and the Short-Term foreign currency IDR at 'B'. KEY RATING DRIVERS The revision of the Outlook reflects the following key rating drivers: […]

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Will Govt Employees face more Wage Cuts in 2016?

By Mustafa Saadoun, for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Plunging oil prices are now affecting ordinary civil servants’ salaries in Iraq. Al-Monitor met with an employee of the Ministry of Culture who, on condition of anonymity, shared his plan of submitting a […]

Senior Officials Referred to Court on Corruption Charges

By John Lee. Iraq’s Commission of Integrity has referrd four former senior officials to court on charges of corruption. Middle East Monitor reports the the Commission referred two former deputies of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the former director of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s military office, and Baghdad’s former mayor. Bahaa al-Araji, Saleh al-Mutlaq, Farouk […]

Can Iraq Separate Religion and State?

By Wassim Bassem for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Several groups appear to be vying to control Iraqis' social lives and liberties: organized crime, religious factions and even armed security forces. Motives range from money to fundamentalism, but the situation […]

Al-Abadi offers Kurds Salaries for Oil

By John Lee. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi (pictured) has reportedly offered to pay the salaries of the KRG’s employees if it ceases its independent oil exports. Facing a financial crisis due to low oil prices, the KRG announced recently that its employees will be paid only partial salaries until further notice, and that unpaid wages […]

Saudi Comments on Popular Mobilization Units Anger Iraqis

By Mustafa Saadoun for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Saudi ambassador's comments on Popular Mobilization Units stir ire of Iraqis The Saudi ambassador to Baghdad, Thamer Sabhan, who was appointed to this position by Saudi Arabia on June 2, 2015, has […]

Germany to Lend Iraq $566m

By John Lee. Germany has agreed to lend 500 million-euros ($566 million) to Iraq to help rebuild the country's infrastructure. At a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in Berlin, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Germany also wants to help with the demining of cities and towns in Iraq so that the country's 3 million internally […]

Video: Kurdistan is 'Part of Iraq' - Abadi

From AFP. Any opinions expressed are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. Iraqi premier Haider al-Abadi urges Kurdistan to drop any plans for independence, criticising a proposed statehood referendum.