Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq and Egypt called for continued support for thetrilateral cooperation mechanism with Jordan to advance economic integration,development, and shared prosperity, Iraq's Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and his Egyptiancounterpart Badr Abdelatty discussed in a phone call strengthening bilateralrelations and addressing regional developments and issues of mutual interest.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Badr Organization Secretary-General Hadi Al-Amiri urged the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella of mostly Shiite armed groupsformally under Iraqi state authority, on Saturday to maintain a highlevel of readiness.

Al-Amiri's office said he met several PMF commanders to discuss the latest field developments, currentrequirements, and ways to strengthen the capabilities of the PMF and securityforces.

Earlier today, sources told Shafaq News that Islamic Resistance in Iraq(IRI) had yet to decide whether to retaliate for last month's Saudi airstrikeson PMF sites. On August 7, Al-Amiri appeared in a video urging the IRI to delayany military response and prioritize “Iraq's supreme interests,” pointing out thatefforts were underway to secure the rights of those killed and wounded throughdiplomatic channels.

Read more: Wednesday's US-Saudi attack on Iraq: What Is Known

Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Paris

French President Emmanuel Macronexpressed support for Iraq’s efforts to combat corruption and implementeconomic reforms during a phone call with Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi onSaturday, according to the Prime Minister’s Media Office.

Macron also reaffirmed France’scommitment to assisting Iraq in combating terrorism and strengthening thecapabilities of the Iraqi Armed Forces.

In turn, Al-Zaidi invited Macron tovisit Iraq, stressing the need to “build a sustainable economic and investment partnership betweenthe two countries that serves their mutual interests.”

OnJune 28, the Iraqi government launched the nationwide Dawn Crackdownanti-corruption campaign, which led to 31 arrests across seven cases betweenJuly 20 and 26 alone. The operation recorded 67 detentions in its initialphase.

Read more: Iraq's Dawn Crackdown by numbers: 67 arrests explained

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Saudi Arabia renewed its invitation to Iraqi Prime MinisterAli Al-Zaidi to visit Riyadh during a meeting on Friday with the Saudi IntelligencePresident Khalid bin Ali Al-Humaidan, who delivered a message from theKingdom's leadership.

According to a statement from Al-Zaidi's office, the twosides discussed ways to strengthen coordination in response to regionalsecurity developments.

Al-Zaidi reaffirmed Iraq's commitment to expandingcooperation in a way that serves the interests of both countries andcontributes to regional security and stability. He also reiterated thegovernment's position that Iraq will protect its sovereignty and nationalinterests and will not allow its territory to be used as a launching point foractivities targeting other countries, in line with constitutionalresponsibilities and the principles of good neighborly relations.

The statement said both sides agreed to continue securitycoordination and intelligence sharing between the relevant authorities toaddress security challenges, strengthen mutual trust, and help prevent furtherregional escalation.

On Monday, a source told Shafaq News that Al-Zaidi isexpected to visit Saudi Arabia next week after international, regional, anddomestic mediation helped ease tensions between Baghdad and Riyadh.

Earlier this week, the US Central Command (CENTCOM)announced that US and Saudi had carried out attacks on weapons and logisticssites belonging to Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) positions.

Earlier on Friday, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI), anumbrella group of Iran-aligned armed factions, revealed it had postponed itsresponse to last month's joint US-Saudi strikes following appeals from BadrOrganization leader Hadi Al-Amiri and other Iraqi political figures.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

MP Saad al-Awadi, deputy head of the National Approachparliamentary bloc, proposed on Friday a plan to secure salary payments forstate employees and retirees through a "digital dinar" and end Iraq'songoing cash crisis.

In a statement, al-Awadi said the initiative represents “acomprehensive economic plan to address the liquidity crisis and ensure stable salarydisbursement through the launch of a digital Iraqi dinar,” easing access tofinancial entitlements for employees without requiring paper cash transactions.

The plan aims directly to shield employees from the effectsof salary delays and liquidity bottlenecks at banks and disbursement outlets, heexplained, by depositing salaries as encrypted, protected digital currency intodesignated financial wallets, allowing citizens to immediately use theirsalaries for purchases and electronic payments without waiting for cash tobecome available.

“The current cash bottleneck does not stem from a lack ofresources but from paper currency being withheld and hoarded outside thebanking system at record rates,” al-Awadi stressed, adding that reliance on acentral bank-issued digital dinar would eliminate salary delays, reduce theoperational costs of printing and transporting cash, and protect citizens'purchasing power without resorting to domestic borrowing policies.

Read more: Iraq faces ‘cash-flow’ strain, not bankruptcy

His proposed roadmap also includes requiring service andcommercial sectors to accept digital transactions, along with incentivepackages and government guarantees to restore confidence in the banking sector.

Al-Awadi called on the government, the Central Bank, and therelevant parliamentary committees to hold an urgent joint session to establishthe legislative and technical frameworks needed to implement the project.

Iraq still lacks official digital payment platforms orelectronic trading systems, and globally circulated cryptocurrencies, mostnotably Bitcoin, the most widely used, remain unadopted in practice for buying,selling, and cash transactions in the country.

 Read more: Delayed public salaries push Iraq’s Diyalafamilies into debt

Shafaq News- Najaf

Some Arab countries are attempting to undermine Iraq'spolitical system through military and media mobilization, senior IslamicSupreme Council of Iraq leader Sadr Al-Din Al-Qubbanji said on Friday.

“The campaign stems from the end of dictatorship in Iraq andthe country's return to popular sovereignty and religious and politicalfreedoms, which the followers of global arrogance reject,” Al-Qubbanji, who isalso Najaf’s imam, stated during a religious sermon, adding, “They failed tobring down Iraq's experience from within, and today they want to bring it downfrom outside.”

Shafaq News-Baghdad

Iraqi PrimeMinister Ali al-Zaidi and Hadi al-Amiri, leader of the Badr Organization —anIran-aligned political party and armed movement that ranks among the mostpowerful factions in Iraq— reached an understanding at a dawn meeting inBaghdad on Friday to de-escalate a standoff between the government and armedfactions, multiple political and government sources told Shafaq News.

Under theagreement, the government would postpone planned operations against thefactions in exchange for a halt to any military action against Saudi Arabia andspace to resolve the crisis through diplomacy, the sources said.

The meetingtook place at the peak of a security alert across Baghdad and several otherprovinces, according to the sources. It weighed threats by armed factions toretaliate against Saudi Arabia against measures the government was preparingagainst groups accused of carrying out cross-border attacks.

Securityagencies had drawn up plans for "special operations" targeting armedgroups and individuals suspected of involvement in attacks on Saudi Arabia,alongside a broad deployment and a raised state of military readiness, thesources said. The understanding reached in the early hours suspended thosemeasures and eased the heightened deployment.

Read more: Iraq under regional pressure as neighbors threaten to strike Iran-aligned factions

A Night Of HighAlert

Orders had goneout Thursday to raise readiness across all security and military forces and tocancel the leave of commanders and unit chiefs, several security sources toldShafaq News, coinciding with the expiry of a deadline the factions had set forthe government over its position on Saudi Arabia and with preparations forpossible armed friction.

The SecurityMedia Cell, the Iraqi body that issues official military statements, announcedseparately that the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces —the prime ministerin his military capacity— had ordered forces to raise their combat readiness,including troop movements and field exercises.

Al-Amiri'sAppeal

Al-Amiriappeared in a video after the dawn meeting urging factions of the IslamicResistance in Iraq, an umbrella of Iran-aligned armed groups, to postpone anymilitary response to Saudi Arabia and to place "Iraq's supremeinterest" first, saying the rights of those 20 killed and 32 wounded would bepursued through diplomatic channels.

The appearancefollowed a decision by the factions, disclosed hours earlier by an informedsource to Shafaq News, to freeze their response temporarily and to set out demandsthat included a formal Saudi apology, compensation for victims and damage, anda de-escalation of Saudi media rhetoric toward the factions. Shafaq Newssources said al-Amiri's video came after the understanding with al-Zaidi.

Reuters quoted a senior Saudiofficial, indicating that Yemen's Houthis and Iran-aligned Iraqi factions couldsoon launch coordinated attacks on Saudi civilian and economic sites under thedirection of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Pressure OnUnofficial Arms

Thedevelopments follow a Wednesday meeting of the State Administration Coalition,the cross-party alliance underpinning the government, which took a firmerposition on weapons held outside state institutions. The coalition describedentities that threaten national security outside the official framework asoutlaws that must be confronted and that any armed activity outside state authorityafter September 30, 2026, would be treated under Iraq's counterterrorism law.

Read more: Iraq's September deadline undercuts armed factions' case for weapons

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Badr Organization leader Hadi Al-Amiri on Friday urgedthe Iran-aligned Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) to postpone any militaryaction over last month’s joint US-Saudi strikes on Popular Mobilization Forces(PMF) sites, stressing that efforts are underway to pursue the issue throughdiplomatic channels.

In a video message, Al-Amiri called on the factions to“exercise restraint for the greater national interest,” pledging to seekjustice for those killed and wounded.

A day earlier, an informed source told Shafaq Newsthat the factions had put their plans on hold after presenting Riyadh with aset of demands, including an official apology, compensation for the families ofthose killed, reparations for damaged public property, and a de-escalation ofSaudi media rhetoric. “Any action now rests on how Riyadh responds to thosedemands.”

IRI had set an Aug. 6 deadline for the Iraqigovernment to take a position on the July 29 strikes, which, according to thePMF, a state-sanctioned umbrella of predominantly Shiite armed factions,targeted its facilities in six Iraqi provinces, killing at least 20 members andwounding 32 others.

Read more: Iraq under pressure as neighbors threaten to strike factions

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi remains committed tomanaging the defense and interior ministries on an acting basis, a governmentsource told Shafaq News on Thursday, denying any political agreement or move tofinalize the two ministers' names at this stage.

Al-Zaidi has expressed satisfaction with the performance ofofficials currently running the defense and interior ministries in an actingcapacity, personally overseeing both ministries' work, the source said, addingthat he has set specific standards and conditions for selecting any candidatefor either post.

The file remains pending for now as the government focuseson other priorities, chiefly addressing the financial crisis, expandingeconomic and investment partnerships, and unifying efforts to calm regionaltensions, the source clarified.

Political forces or components entitled under theconstitution to the two ministries retain the right to submit candidates, thesource explained, though this does not necessarily guarantee approval, sincenominees are subject to standards set by the commander-in-chief and anycandidate failing to meet those criteria may be rejected.

Iraq's parliament granted confidence to al-Zaidi'sgovernment and its ministerial program on May 14, 2026, voting on 14 of 23ministers, while nine portfolios remained pending due to disputes over namesand quotas, including interior, defense, higher education and planning.

Since taking office, al-Zaidi has carried out extensivechanges to senior executive and military positions across state institutions aspart of a broader restructuring of security and administrative arrangements. Hehas also launched a wide-ranging anti-corruption campaign that has removeddozens of government officials, lawmakers and businessmen, recovering billionsof dinars and seizing illicit properties and assets.

On May 16, the prime minister tasked Hussein al-Awadi, the interiorministry's senior undersecretary, with temporarily running the ministry pendingthe appointment of a new minister to succeed Abdul Amir al-Shammari. Inmid-July, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces issued an order assigningformer Interior Minister Lieutenant General Abdul Amir al-Shammari to head theOffice of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Al-Zaidi also issued a decision dissolving the JointOperations Command, reorganizing its responsibilities under the Office of theCommander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

On July 26, the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of theArmed Forces reopened its headquarters in Baghdad's fortified Green Zone undera new structure merging the Joint Operations Command, the commander-in-chief'spersonal secretariat, and the National Operations Center into a single bodyknown as the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

Shafaq News-Baghdad

The Iraqi armedfactions under the umbrella of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) havesuspended their threatened retaliation against Saudi Arabia and set conditionsfor holding off, an informed source told Shafaq News on Thursday.

The factions wantRiyadh to acknowledge that its bombing was a mistake, compensate the familiesof those killed and cover damage to public property, and tone down Saudi mediacoverage directed at them, the source said. "Absent that, the factions willproceed with a response."

Security readinessand combat preparedness have been raised across Iraq on Thursday, as an August6 deadline set by armed factions for the government to take a position on SaudiArabia expired. The step was taken under directives from the commander-in-chiefof the armed forces, Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, and covers security andmilitary forces nationwide, including training exercises and troop movements.

Read more: Iraq's September deadline undercuts armed factions' case for weapons

The IslamicResistance in Iraq, which set the deadline, had demanded on July 29 that thegovernment act against Saudi Arabia over the targeting of Popular MobilizationForces (PMF) sites across six provinces, killing 20 members and injuring 32others.

“Any action nowrests on how Riyadh responds to those demands,” according to the source.

Read more: Iraq under pressure as neighbors threaten to strike factions

ShafaqNews- Baghdad

Iraq’sMinistry of Finance has appointed an acting head for its Information TechnologyDepartment following the retirement of the previous director, according to aministerial order obtained by Shafaq News on Thursday.

FinanceMinister Faleh Al-Sari issued the order assigning Bassel Abbas Hassan, thecurrent director of the Information Technology and Communications Department atRafidain Bank, to oversee the ministry’s Information Technology Department.

Theappointment follows the retirement of Maysara Abdul Rahim, who had beenassigned to temporarily ensure the continuity of work during the transitionperiod.

ShafaqNews- Basra

ThePopular Movement against the Khor Abdullah Agreement on Thursday called on theIraqi government to respond to recent protests submitted by Saudi Arabia andKuwait to the United Nations, urging Baghdad to defend Iraq’s maritimeinterests and safeguard its rights over its territorial waters and offshoreresources.

In astatement, the Movement appealed to the two Gulf States to end politicalpressure and legal challenges related to Iraq’s maritime boundaries, warningagainst any step that could undermine Iraq’s maritime interests or limit itsaccess to oil and gas resources in its territorial waters.

Read more: Khor Abdullah: A waterway entangled in sovereignty disputes and legacy ofinvasion

AboutKhor Abdullah Agreement

Signed byIraq and Kuwait in 2012, the deal regulates navigation and security in theshared waterway, Iraq’s only maritime access to the Gulf and a route linkingkey ports, including Umm Qasr and Grand Al-Faw, with international shippinglanes. Based on United Nations Security Council Resolution 833 (1993), whichdefined post-Gulf War borders, the agreement remains controversial in Iraq,particularly after the Federal Supreme Court ruled in 2023 that itsratification was unconstitutional, reigniting debate over sovereignty, economicinterests, and maritime rights.

Read more: Iraq’s UN maritime move reopens Arab fault lines over Khor Abdullah

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Any armed activity outside state institutions afterSeptember 30, 2026 will be treated under Iraq's anti-terrorism law, the StateAdministration Coalition (SAC) stated on Wednesday, describing parties that “threatenthe country's security” as outlaws who must be fought.

In a statement, the Coalition affirmed support formaintaining security and stability, restricting weapons to the state under theministerial program approved by parliament and now in force as law, andpreventing Iraqi territory from being used to attack neighboring states or dragIraq into conflicts that do not serve its people's interests.

The statement followed the SAC's 37th periodicmeeting, held at the Government Palace and attended by the president, the primeminister, the speaker of parliament, the head of the Supreme Judicial Council,and Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, alongside leaders of thepolitical forces that make up the coalition.

Read more: Iraq under regional pressure as neighbors threaten to strike Iran-aligned factions

Prime Minister al-Zaidi reviewed efforts to strengthensecurity and stability, improve services, and implement the ministerialprogram, as well as government measures to address economic and financialchallenges, stressing that “citizens' interests remain the top priority.”

On the economic front, discussions covered measures tosustain basic services and projects, diversify oil export outlets, boostnon-oil revenue, and combat waste, smuggling and corruption.

Baghdad's support for de-escalation and dialogue wasreaffirmed by the coalition, which rejected the use of force in resolving disputesand expressed readiness “to help bridge positions among parties to regionalconflicts in a way that preserves regional security and shared interests.”

Developments in neighboring countries also featured in thetalks, along with ways to strengthen border security, combat terrorism, drugtrafficking and organized crime, and develop Iraq's foreign relations based onmutual interest, respect for sovereignty, and non-interference in internalaffairs.

The coalition called for swiftly completing the governmentformation process and sending the government program to parliament fordiscussion and approval.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq's ruling State Administration Coalition (SAC) convened in Baghdad on Wednesday to discuss mounting financial and security challenges, with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani joining the country's top political leaders.

The meeting brought together the coalition's senior political figures, including Iraq's four presidencies, to review the country's political, economic, and security situation, as well as the impact of escalating regional tensions.

According to information obtained by Shafaq News, the agenda includes Iraq's financial crisis, particularly delays in paying salaries, pensions, and social welfare benefits following the disruption of the country's oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz.

Participants are also expected to discuss the security situation after US-Saudi strikes on July 29 targeted facilities used by Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a state-backed umbrella of mostly Shiite armed factions, and subsequent threats by some Iraqi armed groups to retaliate against Saudi Arabia.

Read more: Iraq under regional pressure as neighbors threaten to strike Iran-aligned factions

Ahead of the meeting, Barzani met Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to discuss domestic developments and the regional security situation. According to a statement from the Kurdistan Region Presidency, Barzani reaffirmed support for the federal government's reform program, economic reforms, and efforts to consolidate state control over arms.

Shafaq News- Amman

Saudi Arabia backed stronger Iraqi ties with Arab andIslamic countries on Wednesday while urging that Iraqi territory and resourcesnot be used to launch attacks against neighboring states.

During talks on the sidelines of the ministerialmeeting supporting Jerusalem and its holy sites in Amman, Saudi ForeignMinister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and ForeignMinister Fuad Hussein reviewed regional developments and called for closerIraqi engagement with Arab and Islamic states to support regional stability.

#عمّان | سمو وزير الخارجية الأمير #فيصل_بن_فرحان @FaisalbinFarhan يلتقي معالي وزير الخارجية بجمهورية العراق الدكتور فؤاد محمد حسين، وذلك على هامش الاجتماع الوزاري لدعم القدس وأماكنها المقدسة. pic.twitter.com/kTs0jWuk1L

— وزارة الخارجية 🇸🇦 (@KSAMOFA) August 5, 2026

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi, who canceled aplanned visit to Saudi Arabia after the July 29 joint US-Saudi airstrikes onPopular Mobilization Forces (PMF) facilities, is expected to travel to theKingdom next week for talks on security cooperation, economic ties, andinvestment projects, a source previously told Shafaq News. Regional andinternational mediation paved the way for the trip after the strikes, which thePMF said killed at least 20 members and wounded 32 others.

Read more: Iraq under pressure as neighbors threaten to strike Iran-aligned factions

Read more: Wednesday's US-Saudi attack on Iraq: What Is Known

Shafaq News- Kirkuk

Kurdish political parties in Iraq's oil-rich Kirkuk province agreed on Wednesday to coordinate their positions on key political, security, and public service issues, while leaving open the possibility of forming a unified political bloc.

Representatives of the parties stated after a meeting that they had agreed to strengthen cooperation to address challenges facing the multi-ethnic province and improve coordination on issues affecting residents.

Sirwan Assi, a local official with the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), said the meeting helped narrow differences between the parties and was aimed at improving services for Kirkuk's residents rather than advancing partisan interests.

Asked about the prospect of forming a unified Kurdish bloc, Assi said "nothing is impossible," expressing hope that continued dialogue would produce further agreements.

Rond Mulla Mahmoud, a local official with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), said the parties also agreed to raise concerns with Kirkuk's administration, including what they described as restrictions affecting Kurdish farmers, the military's use of agricultural land in some areas, and the operation of security checkpoints.

The parties also condemned recent attacks on Iraq's Kurdistan Region and agreed to continue holding regular meetings, Mahmoud said.

Read more: Who is striking Iraqi Kurdistan?

Kirkuk, claimed by both Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government, has long been a source of political and ethnic tensions among its Kurdish, Arab, and Turkmen communities.

Read more: Discover Iraq: Kirkuk, a city of oil, culture, and conflict

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi armed factions operating under the umbrella ofthe Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) have yet to decide whether to retaliatefor last month’s Saudi airstrikes on Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) sites,despite setting a deadline that expires around Aug. 7 for the government to respond,informed sources told Shafaq News on Wednesday.

The factions remain committed to responding butcontinue to face “high-level political and government pressure” to avoidescalation, particularly with Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi expected to visitRiyadh in the coming days.

The July 29 US-Saudi strikes targeted official PMFfacilities in several Iraqi provinces, killing at least 20 members and wounding32 others, according to the PMF, a state-sanctioned umbrella of predominantlyShiite armed factions.

Read more: Wednesday's US-Saudi attack on Iraq: What Is Known

Several Iraqi political parties and Iran-alignedgroups, including Saraya Awliya Al-Dam, Harakat Al-Nujaba, Asaib Ahl Al-Haq,and the Badr Organization, condemned the attacks, with some demanding thewithdrawal of foreign forces, the expulsion of the Saudi ambassador, and thesuspension of diplomatic and economic ties with Riyadh.

Al-Zaidi is expected to visit Saudi Arabia next weekafter regional, international, and domestic mediation helped ease tensionsbetween Baghdad and Riyadh, a source told Shafaq News. The visit is expected tofocus on security cooperation, economic ties, and investment projects after hepostponed an earlier trip scheduled for the day following the strikes.

Read more: Iraq under pressure as neighbors threaten to strike Iran-aligned factions

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq's Communications Minister Mustafa Sanad revealed on Wednesday that he appeared before a Baghdad court in eight lawsuits that he said were filed personally by former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani over his public criticism of the former premier.

Sanad said the cases relate to remarks he made while al-Sudani was in office, including criticism of government spending, financial management and the alleged influence of the former prime minister's relatives.

Al-Sudani has not publicly commented on Sanad's claims.

Shafaq News- Nineveh

Three Christian political parties onWednesday called on Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi and Nineveh Governor AbdulQader Al-Dakhil to halt ongoing land distribution measures in the NinevehPlains, a historic homeland for several of Iraq's Christian communities,warning they could lead to demographic change in the area.

The appeal came in a formal protestmemorandum submitted by the Assyrian Democratic Movement, the Beth Nahrain PatrioticUnion Party, and the Assyrian Patriotic Party through acting Tel Kaif DistrictCommissioner Yasser Al-Assaf. The parties argued that the land distributionprocess and related measures violate Iraq's Constitution and applicable laws.

Rejecting any policies they saidcould alter the region's demographic composition, the parties cautioned thatsuch practices would undermine the rights of its indigenous communities, socialcohesion, and the rule of law. They urged the federal government to upholdconstitutional provisions, particularly Article 23 (Third) (b), which prohibitsproperty ownership for the purpose of demographic change.

Read more: Christians of Iraq: Where did they go?

The memorandum follows a lawsuitfiled before Iraq's Federal Supreme Court by Qusay Abbas, a lawmakerrepresenting the Shabak community, a minority group concentrated in the NinevehPlains east of Mosul, against the head of the Nineveh Provincial Council. Thesuit accuses the council of seeking to engineer demographic change in areassurrounding Mosul within the Nineveh Plains, after it voted to authorize theMosul municipality to begin subdividing and distributing residential plots andissuing building permits in expansion zones.

Read more: Nineveh Council lifts building restrictions on Mosuloutskirts amid demographic dispute

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s parliament will summon Finance Minister Faleh Al-Sari next weekto discuss the country’s financial situation, including delays in salarypayments linked to a liquidity shortage, lawmaker Ibtisam al-Hilali said onTuesday.

Al-Hilali, a member of the State of Law coalition (SLC) led by formerPrime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, told Shafaq News that the finance minister willappear before lawmakers at his own request, with the session also focusing onways to expand non-oil sources of state revenue.

“There are more than one million employees in several ministries andstate institutions who have not received their salaries due to a shortage ofliquidity,” she added, urging the government to take swift measures to addressthe issue.

Earlier today, the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) reported that Iraq’scurrency in circulation reached 113.560 trillion dinars ($86.3B) at the end ofMay 2026, up from 112.896 trillion dinars ($85.8B) a month earlier, as currencyoutside the banking system continued to rise.

Financial expert Mahmoud Dagher warned that the expansion of currency incirculation could increase inflationary pressures and place further strain onforeign currency reserves, noting that Baghdad has limited options for securingshort-term liquidity.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq's State AdministrationCoalition (SAC) will convene on Wednesday with the country's four top leadersto discuss the security fallout from last week's joint US-Saudi airstrikes onthe Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and subsequent threats by Iran-backedarmed factions against Saudi Arabia, an informed source told Shafaq News.

The coalition, which brings togetherpolitical blocs and parties participating in Iraq's political process fromacross the country's communities, will also review the latest political,economic, and regional developments. Discussions are expected to focus on thecountry's financial crisis, which has delayed salary payments for publicemployees, retirees, and social welfare beneficiaries following the disruptionof oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz.

On July 29, joint US-Saudi airstrikes targeted PMF positions in seven Iraqiprovinces, killing at least 20 members and wounding 32 others. Washington andRiyadh said the operation responded to alleged attacks on US forces and Saudienergy facilities.

Read more: Iraq under regional pressure as neighbors threaten to strike Iran-aligned factions

Iran-backed armed factions,including Saraya Awliya al-Dam, Harakat al-Nujaba, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, Ashabal-Kahf, and the Badr Organization, condemned the strikes in separatestatements. Some called for the complete withdrawal of foreign forces fromIraq, the severance of diplomatic and economic ties with Saudi Arabia, and theexpulsion of the Saudi ambassador. Operating under the umbrella of the IslamicResistance in Iraq, the groups gave the Iraqi government until August 6 todemonstrate its ability to defend the country's sovereignty, warning that aresponse would be "inevitable."

Read more: Wednesday's US-Saudi attack on Iraq: What IsKnown

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Kataib Hezbollah willnot surrender its weapons and instead intends to expand its arsenal, thegroup's secretary-general, Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi, stated on Monday.

Al-Hamidawi said the group would continue as "jihad forthe sake of God", vowing to make any aggressor "pay a double price."

He described the latest US-Saudi strike on Iraq as a seriousprecedent that could open a new phase of confrontation in the region.

“The strike reinforced the group's commitment to retainingand developing its weapons,” he affirmed, adding that it would work to tighteninternal security and secrecy in proportion to the scale of the threats itfaces.

He also stressed that “military and media efforts wouldcontinue to operate together against what he called enemies and their allies.”

Read more: Iraq under regional pressure as neighbors threaten to strike Iran-aligned factions

The Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), an umbrella of mostlyShiite armed groups formally under Iraqi state authority, announced on July 29that at least 20 of its members were killed and 32 wounded in strikes byAmerican and Saudi fighter jets that hit PMF facilities in several Iraqiprovinces. 

Read more: PMF strikes raise fears of broader regional conflict for Iraq 

Shafaq News-Baghdad

Iraqi PrimeMinister Ali Al-Zaidi is expected to visit Saudi Arabia next week followingmediation international and domestic efforts that eased tensions betweenBaghdad and Riyadh, a source told Shafaq News on Monday.

During the visitthe two sides are expected to discuss security cooperation, economic ties, andinvestment. Saudi Arabia intends to present Al-Zaidi with evidence that allergyshows attacks against the Kingdom were launched from Iraqi territory.

Read more: Iraq under regional pressure as neighbors threaten to strike Iran-aligned factions

Last week, Al-Zaidiannounced the formation of a joint security committee to address threat againstneighboring countries originating from Iraq.

Iraqi PM on July 29canceled a planned visit to Riyash hours after US and Saudi warplanes carriedout strikes on Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) positions across seven Iraqiprovinces. A government source told Shafaq News that the decision was made inresponse to the rapidly evolving security situation.

Read more: Iraq’s security crisis tests PM Al-Zaidi’s agenda

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq welcomed renewed efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuzthrough diplomacy during a phone call between Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein andhis Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said onSunday.

Hussein said Iraq is closely monitoring the situation andhopes agreements will be reached to restore navigation the strait as soon aspossible.

The two sides discussed developments in Hormuz over the pasttwo days and their impact on maritime security and regional stability.

Earlier today, CENTCOM stated that US forces have redirected35 commercial vessels, disabled two ships, and boarded two others under themaritime blockade on Iran. Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps(IRGC) said its navy struck two oil tankers in the strait and forced fourothers to turn back.

Shafaq News- Baghdad

National Wisdom Movement (al-Hikma)leader Ammar al-Hakim on Sunday reaffirmed his support for Iraq'santi-corruption campaign, stressing that the government's efforts shouldcontinue through legal and institutional frameworks to strengthen public confidencein state institutions.

During a meeting with PrimeMinister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi, Al-Hakim, a senior leader in the ruling ShiiteCoordination Framework (CF), also renewed his support for the government'sreform agenda, while praising efforts to build "genuine and balanced"regional and international partnerships aimed at enhancing Iraq's standing andsupporting development and stability.

Read more: Iraq’s PM al-Zaidi offers Tehran and Washington a corridor, not a battlefield

Al-Zaidi, for his part, reaffirmedthe government's commitment to continuing the campaign and strengthening therule of law to protect public funds and advance administrative and economicreforms.

Al-Hikma has previously backed thegovernment's ongoing Operation Dawn Crackdown, which has led to the arrest ofdozens of current and former officials, including ministers, lawmakers,lawyers, and other figures.

Read more: Iraq's Dawn Crackdown by numbers: 67 arrests explained