Media Commission: Digital transformation has become essential for Iraq.

Nawfal Abu Raghif, head of the Communications and Media Commission, emphasized the necessity of digital transformation in Iraq on Thursday, noting that the commission believes that digital transformation is no longer a secondary issue but rather an essential matter for the country.

“This is a unique national and international achievement, achieved through the combined efforts of everyone, not just one party, but rather the result of a combination of noble efforts, steps taken, and a modern pursuit of previous experiences,” Abu Raghif said in a speech he delivered during the launch ceremony of the Iraq International Information and Communication Technology Conference (ITEX ), which was attended by a Shafaq News correspondent.

He added, “The Communications and Media Commission has worked in cooperation with partners in the public and private sectors and has effectively begun to enhance security to capitalize on efforts to achieve sustainable development.”

Abu Raghif explained, “This event is no longer optional, but rather a fundamental necessity, as it serves as a platform for exchanging ideas and experiences and provides opportunities for youth. The Communications and Media Commission believes that digital transformation is no longer a secondary issue, but rather a necessity.”

For his part, Advisor Diaa al-Jumaili said in a speech delivered on behalf of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, “Iraq is working to establish skills and awareness development in all fields, and to use artificial intelligence technologies in education to meet the ambitions and aspirations of young people.”

He added, ” ITEX in Iraq is not just a technology event, but a national platform that brings together innovative research to address challenges and support innovation and entrepreneurship. This event represents a step towards building a thriving digital economy that keeps pace with global technological developments.”

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Fines imposed on candidates and political alliances, including al-Sudani, al-Maliki, and al-Mandlawi.

The Iraqi Electoral Commission announced on Thursday that it had imposed fines on 24 candidates and six political alliances for violations of electoral campaign regulations.

Commission documents obtained by Shafaq News revealed that the Board of Commissioners decided to impose fines totaling 2 million dinars on 23 election candidates and six political parties and alliances for violating the election campaign regulations.

Another document also showed that the council imposed a fine of 5 million dinars on another candidate for starting his election campaign prematurely, according to the document.

The fines included the Reconstruction and Development Coalition led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, the State of Law Coalition led by Nouri al-Maliki, the Foundation Alliance headed by Mohsen al-Mandalawi, and other candidates.

The Board of Commissioners also decided to exclude three candidates and notify nine others to provide proof of their innocence within 72 hours, according to a document issued by the Board .

The Iraqi Council of Ministers set November 11, 2025, as the date for the next parliamentary elections. The Electoral Commission announced that candidate campaigning will begin on October 8 and continue until 24 hours before the start of special voting.

About 30 million Iraqis out of a population of 46 million are eligible to participate in these elections.

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Hussein: Iraq’s losses from the suspension of Kurdistan Region oil exports amount to approximately $25 billion.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said that the country has incurred losses ranging between $22 and $25 billion due to the halt in oil exports from the Kurdistan Region, and that flows are likely to resume this week.

This figure represents an increase from previous estimates of losses of $19 billion as of last February.

This comes as the region and most operating oil companies have signed an agreement to resume exports. However, the agreement still requires formal approval from the federal government in Baghdad, according to a statement from the regional government’s Ministry of Natural Resources.

The ministry stated that it is still awaiting a response from the federal oil ministry, while the state-run oil marketing company SOMO stated that the agreement is in its “final stages.”

KRG spokesman Peshwa Hawrami indicated that exports could begin within 48 hours of the full agreement being concluded.

The resumption of pumping through the pipeline linking Kurdistan and Turkey is expected to result in an initial flow of approximately 230,000 barrels per day to global markets, amid concerns of an oil glut due to increased production by the OPEC+ alliance.

The region was pumping about 500,000 barrels per day before exports halted in March 2023, following an arbitration ruling requiring Ankara to pay $1.5 billion to Baghdad, prompting Türkiye to halt use of the pipeline.

In July, the region agreed to hand over its oil to SOMO for international sale, a move to defuse the protracted dispute over oil revenues.

Baghdad also invited the regional government and representatives of foreign oil companies to a new meeting to discuss the details of resuming exports and ensuring payment of financial arrears.

Companies such as Norway’s DNO and General Energy have emphasized their desire for clear guarantees for payment of overdue receivables and clarification of the payment mechanism for future exports.

The list of foreign companies operating in the region includes: Gulf Keystone Petroleum, HKN Energy, Shamaran Petroleum, and Hunt Oil.

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Al-Sudani’s advisor: Iraq is experiencing a rare “price boom” in its modern economic history.

The Prime Minister’s financial advisor, Mazhar Mohammed Salih, revealed on Thursday that Iraq is experiencing a rare “price boom” unprecedented in its modern economic history. This boom is driven by low inflation rates, a remarkably stable exchange rate, and improved unemployment rates, all due to effective coordination between monetary, fiscal, and trade policies.

Saleh told Shafaq News Agency, “The inflation rate in Iraq has remained below 3% over the past three years, which is a low rate compared to what the country has experienced previously or what neighboring countries are witnessing.”

The government advisor attributed this success to “the cautious monetary policy pursued by the Central Bank of Iraq, in coordination with fiscal and trade policies, which contributed to maintaining the purchasing power of the dinar.”

He explained that “unemployment rates fell from 17% to 14% in a relatively short period, supported by economic policies aimed at stimulating the agriculture, investment, and trade sectors, while supporting local production played a direct role in creating new job opportunities.”

Regarding the dollar exchange rate, Saleh explained that “the official rate of 1,320 dinars has maintained its stability, which has helped calm markets and limit the role of the parallel market, thereby reducing import costs and limiting price pressures on consumers.”

He stressed that “fiscal policy played a pivotal role in controlling prices, with approximately 25% of the general budget (equivalent to 13% of GDP) allocated to support agricultural products, food and medicine baskets, fuel, and electricity, in addition to tax and customs exemptions, which eased the direct burden on citizens.”

Within the framework of trade policy, Saleh pointed to the establishment of a network of cooperative-price stores (consumer and construction) that would help break monopolies and provide direct alternatives for goods, as part of what he described as “price defense,” an effective tool for regulating markets and preventing unjustified price increases, according to the spokesman.

Despite the positive signs, the financial advisor warned of a potential challenge at this stage: “Commodity leakage across borders, due to price differences between the subsidized Iraqi market and neighboring markets. This requires tightening customs and trade controls without harming legitimate trade.”

Saleh concluded, “The current ‘price boom’ Iraq is witnessing, a rare phenomenon in its modern economic history, must be built upon by rationalizing support and directing it toward productive sectors to achieve sustainable development, rather than relying solely on stability and consumption.”

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Al-Sudani defends his government’s performance: What has been achieved is much greater than what some are trying to minimize.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Thursday considered the “achievements” achieved during the current federal government he heads to be “much greater than what some are trying to understate.”

This came in a speech he delivered during the National Job Day ceremony, which was adopted by the government at the level of all Iraqi governorates.

In his speech, Al-Sudani said, “Economic reform cannot be achieved without financial and banking reform,” adding, “Iraq has achieved a significant accomplishment that has made it trustworthy among financial institutions.”

He added, “International banks have taken the initiative to enter the Iraqi banking sector, and we have established relationships with all global financial institutions.”

Al-Sudani also pointed out that “state institutions and the civil service sector are concerned with ensuring the success of the private sector experience, which contributes to creating a new work reality and job opportunities.”

The Prime Minister emphasized reform and support for the private sector as a partner in solving problems in services, housing, agriculture, and other sectors, adding, “Our assessment of progress rates is professional, and there is also criticism and monitoring of delays and procrastination.”

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An integrated digital economy in Iraq next year

The Prime Minister’s financial and economic advisor, Mazhar Mohammed Salih, stressed the importance of the Central Bank of Iraq’s announcement that cash payments will be phased out in all government institutions and other facilities in July 2026.

The Central Bank made a statement reported by Al-Sabah newspaper the day before yesterday, confirming the farewell to paper transactions in July of next year.

In a press interview, Saleh said that Iraq’s farewell to cash payments in 2026 represents a major strategic step toward building an integrated digital economy that reduces corruption, enhances transparency, and encourages financial inclusion. This shift will not simply represent a change in payment methods, but rather the beginning of a new era of financial modernity in the country.

Saleh believes that, in terms of fiscal policy, this shift will facilitate total government payments, including salaries, pensions, loans, and support, as well as the collection of wages, fees, and government taxes through faster and more accurate digital channels, all of which will enhance the liquidity and governance of the general budget.

Saleh added that this step strengthens the unified treasury account and the cash flow account for public finances, reducing the chances of emergency government borrowing. Regarding monetary policy, it strengthens the close monitoring of capital flows, giving the central bank better tools to control inflation rates and liquidity simultaneously.

The advisor pointed out that this shift will encourage citizens to embrace a culture of electronic payments and encourage unbanked individuals to join the banking system, expanding the financial customer base, expanding the scope of financial inclusion and reducing the cost of cash transactions.

Alsabaah.iq

Iraq to receive air defense batteries from South Korea in early 2026

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani discussed with the South Korean Minister of Defense and Minister of Armament Systems on Wednesday the development of cooperation, particularly in the field of armaments. The visiting delegation affirmed the continuation of work and coordination to deliver air defense system batteries to Iraq early next year, 2026.

This came during Al-Sudani’s reception of South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Jeop-bak and his accompanying delegation, which included Minister of Armament Systems Seok Jun-kyun, in the presence of the South Korean ambassador to Iraq.

According to a statement from Al-Sudani’s office received by Shafaq News Agency, at the beginning of the meeting, Al-Sudani congratulated the visiting delegation on the occasion of South Korea’s National Day and the founding of the army. He emphasized the importance of strengthening bilateral relations and advancing them to more advanced levels, particularly through the exchange of official visits and preparations for the resumption of joint committee meetings between the two countries soon.

According to the statement, Al-Sudani pointed out Iraq’s keenness to develop cooperation, particularly in the field of armaments, indicating that the government has a plan and program for this issue and its priorities, which are included in the agreements signed between the two countries, and is working to develop it by adopting the latest technologies in the defense program and the air defense system.

The Prime Minister emphasized that “bilateral relations must be comprehensive, especially in light of the development and reconstruction campaigns taking place in Iraq,” expressing his hope that “the number of reputable South Korean companies operating in the country and across various sectors will double.”

The statement noted that “the visiting minister conveyed the greetings of the President of the Republic of South Korea to the Prime Minister, and his desire to develop cooperation. He affirmed the continuation of work and coordination to deliver air defense system batteries to Iraq early next year, in accordance with the government’s strategic visions, including Iraq Vision 2050 and the Development Road Project. This has reflected positive and influential impressions in South Korea and in many countries around the world regarding Iraq’s progress and prosperity.”

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Counterfeiting crimes decreased by 90%

The Ministry of Interior revealed a significant decline in the rates of currency counterfeiting crimes during the current year (2025), confirming that the percentage reached between (85 and 90) percent compared to previous years.

The director of the Ministry’s Federal Intelligence and Investigation Agency, Brigadier General Ahmed Mohammed Obaid, told Al-Sabah: “This decline is due to a package of deterrent security and economic measures to combat this phenomenon across various governorates.” He noted that “counterfeiting is one of the most serious crimes affecting the national economy and citizens’ confidence in the local currency.”

He explained that “the most prominent of these measures include tightening judicial follow-ups, intensifying intelligence work, adopting electronic payments in state institutions, and reducing direct cash transactions,” indicating that “these factors combined have contributed to undermining the activity of the gangs involved, arresting numerous counterfeiters, and confiscating quantities of counterfeit dinar and dollar currency.”

Alsabaah.iq

After a long absence, Iraq begins the first steps to build its nuclear reactors.

To lay the foundation stone for Iraq’s nuclear energy project, the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, in cooperation with the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission, organized a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday for the subcritical system and central laboratories project.

In his speech during the ceremony, attended by Shafaq News Agency, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, Naeem Al-Aboudi, said, “This project represents a scientific incubator and an integrated strategic environment for developing and adopting research approaches that have a direct impact on enhancing the quality of scientific research. These laboratories are designed according to the latest international standards.”

He added, “The central laboratories provide students and researchers in various disciplines with a broad space for innovation and the development of scientific skills. These laboratories will become a scientific competitor to their counterparts in the region and a pillar that enables Iraq to have an active presence in the production and application of knowledge.”

He pointed out that “at the forefront of these laboratories, the foundation stone of which was laid today, is the subcritical system, in cooperation with the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission, the National Nuclear and Radiological Regulatory Authority of China, and the International Atomic Energy Agency, in addition to the participation of international experts.”

Al-Aboudi continued, “By embarking on this strategic path, the Ministry of Higher Education is laying the foundation for a promising scientific future that paves the way for students and researchers and gives them the opportunity to participate in nuclear experiments that pave the way for the peaceful use of nuclear energy.”

Commenting on this, Ministry of Higher Education spokesperson Haider Al-Aboudi said, “The Under Critical System is one of the most important central laboratories at the Ministry of Higher Education and Global Research, and will provide significant momentum to researchers and graduate students working in the field of global publishing.” He noted that “the number of scientific research papers published in the containers has reached more than 188,000 specialized scientific papers.”

Al-Aboudi added to Shafaq News Agency, “The ministry has identified the urgent need for researchers to provide central laboratories that will spare them the trouble of traveling to universities around the world to review their research and analyze their samples.” He noted that “Iraqi laboratories will undertake this task, providing momentum that will accelerate the pace of scientific research and global publication.”

Since 1991, Iraq’s nuclear program has been halted, following Security Council Resolution 687 of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to uncover and dismantle Iraq’s nuclear weapons program and ensure its compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty through monitoring and inspection teams conducted by UN inspection teams during their tours of Iraqi facilities and universities.

For his part, nuclear scientist Hamid Al-Bahli asserts that “the project is a subcritical system, meaning that the project has not yet reached the critical state that would transform the system into a nuclear reactor.”

Al-Bahli added to Shafaq News Agency, “Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani formed a committee in June of last year to establish nuclear power plants to generate electricity with the aim of producing thousands of megawatts of energy,” indicating that “a single plant produces the equivalent of 5,000 megawatts and requires more than 1,500 people to operate it.”

He explains that “the number of these operators abroad costs huge sums of money, reaching approximately one million dollars per person, to operate power units and nuclear reactors used for peaceful purposes.”

He notes that “the lack of nuclear energy in Iraq causes the country to lose $5 billion annually, because this energy is used in medical, agricultural, industrial, oil, and other fields.”

The nuclear scientist points out that “building nuclear reactors in Iraq requires an estimated two years, and that work on them began with the establishment of the subcritical system of the Atomic Energy Agency, which was attached to the Ministry of Higher Education to prepare the human resources for it.”

Al-Bahli draws attention to the importance of “producing radioactive isotopes for use in the medical field and treating cancerous tumors, which have worsened as a result of the absence of nuclear energy in Iraq since 1991 and the lack of radioactive isotopes for treating cancerous diseases.”

According to the nuclear scientist, “The subcritical system contributes to the production of improved, climate-resistant seeds for use in developing the agricultural sector.”

He asserts that “the subcritical system is the first step toward establishing nuclear reactors and contributes to advancing scientific studies and research at Iraqi universities, which were suspended from nuclear activity following the issuance of UN Security Council resolutions banning nuclear activity in Iraq.”

He continued, “Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s meeting with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Baghdad, and the discussions held by a delegation from the National Atomic Energy Commission in Vienna with the Director and members of the IAEA, have shaped the IAEA’s conviction about the transparency with which Baghdad operates, and confirmed its readiness to cooperate with Iraq in the field of nuclear energy.”

For his part, Russian Ambassador to Baghdad Elbrus Kotrashev, who attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the critical system project, believes that this project reflects “the Iraqi government’s interest in establishing important strategic projects.”

Speaking to Shafaq News Agency, the Russian ambassador indicated that “the Iraqi government is no longer concerned with daily issues alone, but is thinking beyond that, adopting vital future projects.”

In conclusion, the ambassador described the critical system as “an important strategic project for Iraq’s economy, its future, and the building of the state in general,” emphasizing his country’s “support for Iraq’s efforts to establish such projects, by providing all forms of support to the Iraqi government and people.”

Shafaq.com

In front of the cameras… a warm handshake between Rashid and Trump

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid met with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Official photos published by the Presidency of the Republic website showed Rashid and Trump exchanging greetings and shaking hands in a scene that caught the media’s attention. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Earlier today, Trump held a meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York with leaders from several Arab and Islamic countries to present his plan for the Gaza Strip.

The meeting included leaders from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Qatar, Turkey, Pakistan, and Indonesia, while Iraq was absent.

It is noteworthy that Iraqi President Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fuad Hussein arrived in New York on Monday, September 22, to participate in the United Nations General Assembly meetings.

In a speech delivered during the UN General Assembly early Wednesday morning, Rashid called on both Turkey and Iran not to harm Iraq and to respect water flows through the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. He also reiterated the country’s rejection of any violation of its airspace sovereignty in military operations between conflicting parties in the region.

Rashid said that Iraq today is on track to achieve sustainable economic and social development by leveraging the country’s vast potential, reducing dependence on oil and opening up numerous avenues for economic diversification in agriculture, industry, and renewable energy.

He reiterated Iraq’s demand for a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction, while recognizing the right of all countries to develop the peaceful use of nuclear energy. He also reiterated Iraq’s demand for international oversight to include all nuclear facilities in the region, including those of the “Zionist entity,” according to his statement.

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