Parliament is moving to avoid a “paralysis” scenario and aims to finalize the oil, gas, and telecommunications laws.

MP Hussein Ali announced on Monday a serious parliamentary determination to avoid a repeat of the scenario that disrupted parliamentary sessions in the previous session. He emphasized that the House of Representatives has successfully completed the reading and passage of 16 laws so far, focusing on strategic legislation related to oil and communications.

Ali told Al-Maalouma, “The House of Representatives is working intensively to activate its legislative role and avoid the obstacles and political gridlock that led to the disruption of sessions in the past.” He explained that “Parliament is moving steadily to compensate for previous delays.”
He added that “the House has so far managed to complete the reading and proceed with the legal procedures for 16 diverse laws affecting various sectors,” noting that “parliamentary focus is currently on resolving contentious laws that have been stalled for years.”
Ali continued, “There is a concerted parliamentary effort to pass the postponed oil and gas law, the communications and information technology law, as well as a package of other laws that are of paramount importance in regulating the country’s economic resources and infrastructure.”

Almaalomah.me

Determination: Parliamentary consensus to dismiss Halbousi from the presidency of Parliament

Mohammed Dhari al-Dulaimi, a leader in the “Azm” Alliance, revealed on Monday that there is a broad parliamentary movement to collect signatures from a number of MPs from various blocs, with the aim of withdrawing confidence from Speaker of Parliament Haibat al-Halbousi and removing him from his position.

Al-Dulaimi told Al-Maalomah that “there is an agreement among MPs from the Sunni, Shia, and Kurdish components to proceed with the procedures for removing the Speaker of Parliament, due to what he described as violations in the management of the sessions to grant confidence to the government and the mechanism for voting on the cabinet.”
He added that “the management of the sessions witnessed, in his words, “quabbles and attempts to exclude some candidates,” indicating that this led to tensions within the parliament.”
Al-Dulaimi accused the Speaker of Parliament of “unilaterally making decisions,” stressing that there are “attempts to use Parliament to serve a specific political party, namely the Taqaddum Alliance.”

Almaalomah.me

Al-Khalidi reveals a “powerful alliance” led by Al-Maliki and a parallel movement to Al-Sudani that includes 100 MPs.

Member of the Coordination Framework, Mohammed al-Khalidi, revealed today, Monday, an intense political movement to form new alliances within the Council of Representatives. He pointed to the inclination of some forces towards the opposition front led by the head of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, countered by a parallel movement by the head of the Reconstruction and Development Coalition, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, to form a major parliamentary bloc.

Al-Khalidi told Al-Maalouma, “There is a real and serious inclination by some political forces towards the option of parliamentary opposition under the umbrella of a new alliance being arranged under the name ‘The Alliance of the Strong.’” He explained that “this alliance will be headed by the leader of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, and will adopt political opposition as its approach within the parliament.”
He added that “these movements are met on the other side by parallel efforts and activity led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani,” noting that “al-Sudani’s movement aims to form a broad and supportive political alliance that includes more than 100 members of parliament to ensure political and executive stability.”
Regarding the recent withdrawals, Al-Khalidi affirmed that “the political blocs that withdrew from the coalition recently will not affect its weight, influence, or decision-making power within the parliament.”

Almaalomah.me

Al-Hamami: An important political formation headed by Al-Maliki will be announced soon.

Former MP Arif al-Hamami acknowledged on Monday that a significant political formation is emerging on the Iraqi scene, headed by Nouri al-Maliki, and may be announced in the near future.

Al-Hamami told Al-Maalouma that “the political landscape in Iraq needs adjustments to ensure its proper course in serving all components, far removed from the language of circumvention, manipulation, and attempts to disregard the entitlements of political forces and movements.”

He added that “a significant political formation is emerging in the near future, headed by al-Maliki,” noting that “al-Maliki is determined to proceed in protecting the political process.”

He explained that “the results of the vote on Ali al-Zaidi’s government revealed many truths,” emphasizing that “this necessitates a series of measures to ensure that the political process proceeds in an Iraqi manner, free from external agendas.”

He concluded by saying that “the coming period will be full of important decisions that will strengthen citizens’ confidence in the political process.”

Almaalomah.me

British report details al-Zaidi’s “impossible mission”

The rise of Ali al-Zaidi to the premiership in Iraq reflects more than just a routine transfer of power; it represents a profound shift in the political landscape. However, his success depends not only on his reform agenda, but also, according to the London-based Middle East Online website, on whether the fragmented political forces and their external supporters are willing to accept the new balance of power.

Under the headline “Al-Zaidi faces an impossible balancing act as Iraq’s power structure shifts,” Middle East Online reported in English, as translated by Shafaq News Agency, that the old balance between Iranian-backed factions, traditional Shiite alliances, and American influence appears to be constantly unstable, noting that Al-Zaidi is entering office without the strong political support that previous prime ministers usually enjoyed from factions linked to Iran.

According to the report, the session to grant confidence to al-Zidi revealed wide cracks within the coordinating framework that represents the Shiite parties that have dominated politics in recent years, pointing to disputes over ministerial portfolios, political influence and the collapse of aspects of existing understandings. It added that this turmoil revealed something deeper than the struggle over government seats, and highlighted the weakness of the unified Shiite consensus that traditionally shaped the formation of the government in Iraq after 2003.

The report continued that instead of the strong political support that previous prime ministers usually enjoyed from forces linked to Iran, al-Zaidi inherits a divided political environment that raises doubts about old formulas for power-sharing and challenges the dominance of entrenched political elites.

However, the report noted that the cracks within the Shiite political establishment are accompanied by broader regional shifts resulting from the American-Israeli war against Iran, adding that although Tehran’s influence within Iraq remains significant, many analysts believe that the conflict has weakened Iran’s regional influence and reduced the room for maneuver available to its Iraqi allies.

After the report noted Washington’s objection to Nouri al-Maliki’s nomination and the direct American pressure, then the Coordination Framework’s abandonment of his nomination, and the proposal of al-Zidi, who has no previous political experience, the report said that his personal profile helped him to appear as an acceptable compromise solution, as he does not have a long history of militia affiliations or ideological bias towards Tehran, and his background in finance and business allows him to present himself as a technocratic reformer who focuses on economic recovery rather than factional politics.

However, the report considered that al-Zaydi’s “relative neutrality” could also be his “weak point,” since without a strong faction behind him, there is a risk that he will become vulnerable to pressure from competing blocs, armed forces, and external actors vying for influence over the state.

Although the report referred to the “ambitious reform program” put forward by al-Zaydi, it said that translating these promises into reality would be difficult in a country where political paralysis, corruption networks, and militia influence remain deeply entrenched.

According to the report, the most sensitive issue facing the new government is likely to be the issue of weapons outside state control. It noted that al-Zaidi pledged to strengthen the state’s monopoly on weapons and reform the security apparatus, echoing the growing American demands to curb the influence of Iranian-backed armed groups, which are accused of launching hundreds of attacks on American facilities in Iraq and the region, to which Washington responded with strikes against armed groups, exacerbating tensions within Iraq.

The report continued that this issue revealed deep divisions among political forces, as while some factions indicated their willingness to accept the idea of ​​integrating fighters into official state structures, other factions rejected any discussion about disarmament in light of what they describe as American coercion.

In addition, the report addressed the increasing pressures facing Iraq, including due to the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, which are affecting the state budget.

The report noted that, according to analysts, al-Zaydi may seek to weaken militia networks through economic measures, including restricting state-funded salaries for thousands of fighters, but any such move would raise significant political and security risks.

On the regional level, the report says that al-Zaidi’s government must work to repair strained relations with the Gulf states, which are angry about attacks carried out by Iranian-linked factions during the war.

Middle East Online concluded that al-Zaidi’s repeated emphasis on building a “balanced country, regionally and internationally” reflects the difficult balancing act currently facing Baghdad, adding that Iraq remains caught between two competing powers, Iran and the United States, while its internal political system is becoming increasingly divided. It added that the old post-2003 political system, based on relatively stable alliances and strong factional discipline, appears to be weakening under the weight of regional conflict, economic crisis, and internal division.

The report concluded by saying that al-Zaydi currently represents a consensus candidate trying to navigate a dangerous transitional phase, but his success may depend not only on his reform agenda, but also on whether the fragmented Iraqi political forces, and their supporters abroad, are willing to accept the new balance of power.

Shafaq.com

Central Bank of Iraq: Trade surplus in 2025 reached $24 billion

Data released by the Central Bank of Iraq on Monday showed that Iraq achieved a trade surplus of approximately $24.686 billion during 2025, driven by a higher value of exports compared to imports.

According to foreign trade data calculated on an FOB basis, which was reviewed by Shafaq News Agency, total Iraqi exports during the year amounted to approximately $90.427.7 billion, compared to imports of $65.741.7 billion.

She added that exports were distributed as follows: $24.112.3 billion in the first quarter, $23.285.6 billion in the second quarter, $21.414.3 billion in the third quarter, before rising slightly to $21.615.5 billion in the fourth quarter.

In contrast, imports totaled $18.158.6 billion in the first quarter, $15.993.1 billion in the second quarter, and $16.102.0 billion in the third quarter, before declining to $15.488.0 billion in the fourth quarter, according to the data.

The data indicated that Iraqi exports exceeded imports in all quarters of the year, which reinforced the continued recording of a trade surplus.

The data was based on Free On Board, a system that calculates the value of goods when loaded onto the means of transport in the exporting country, without including shipping and insurance costs.

Shafaq.com

The National reports on the formation of the Iraqi government.

The Iraqi parliament is scheduled to vote on Thursday on the cabinet lineup presented by Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi, according to a report published Wednesday in the British newspaper The National. The report, translated by Al-Maalomah News Agency, stated that al-Zaidi was nominated by the largest parliamentary bloc, the Coordination Framework bloc, as a consensus candidate for the position last April. His business empire spans from supplying the Iraqi government’s food basket program, which serves millions of citizens, to investments in banking, construction, real estate, tourism, agriculture, food, glass, education, medical services, and energy.

The report added that the 41-year-old has no political background; instead, his public image is built on business ventures that have flourished thanks to lucrative deals with the government. The report continued, “The vote is a crucial step in the government formation process. An absolute majority is required to approve the government, which the prime minister-designate must present within 30 days of his nomination. Al-Zaidi has sought to garner support from various factions within the country.”

The report added, “No details of the proposed cabinet have been released, but Iraqi politicians told the newspaper that al-Zaidi is expected to present approximately half of his cabinet to parliament.”

The Iraqi economy is under severe strain following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. This closure has reduced Iraq’s oil exports—the lifeblood of its economy—from 3.5 million barrels per day to around 300,000 barrels per day, further straining an already fragile system. Al-Zaidi also faces the challenge of addressing rampant corruption while rebuilding relations with neighboring Gulf states.

Almaalomah.me

The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan: The candidates for Kurdish ministries in the Zaidi government have been finalized.

Burhan Sheikh Raouf, a member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, revealed today, Wednesday, that “the nomination of candidates from the Kurdish forces to fill four ministerial portfolios within the cabinet of Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi has been completed, in preparation for presenting them to Parliament during the anticipated confidence vote session.”

Sheikh Raouf told Al-Maalouma that “disagreements still exist among some of the forces within the Coordination Framework and the Sunni forces regarding the selection of their candidates for ministerial positions,” noting that “there is a positive atmosphere after Al-Zidi’s visit to Erbil and Sulaymaniyah and his meeting with the leaders of the two main Kurdish parties.”

He pointed out that “the visit laid a new foundation for resolving the outstanding disputes between the central government and the region that have persisted for years.”

Sheikh Raouf added that “the Kurdish forces support the formation of a ‘strong government’ capable of meeting the aspirations of the national forces, while emphasizing adherence to the constitution to resolve disputes between Baghdad and the region.”

The House of Representatives has allocated a single item on its agenda for tomorrow’s session, Thursday, which includes voting on the ministerial program and the government of Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zidi.

Almaalomah.me

Al-Zaydi and the dollar: Expectations of a breakthrough in the exchange market

An economic expert predicted on Wednesday that the formation of the new Iraqi government would contribute to lowering the dollar exchange rate against the dinar in local markets, noting that there was an expected “American support” that would positively affect the financial market.

Sulaymaniyah currency market spokesman Jabbar Goran told Shafaq News Agency that the resumption of government projects after the formation of the government will lead to an increase in spending in Iraqi dinars and a full return of the ministries’ activity, which will boost demand for the local currency and support the stability of the exchange rate.

He added that the United States renewed its support for the formation of the government of Prime Minister-designate Ali al-Zaidi, considering that this support gives a “positive signal” to the financial markets, provided that no new tensions or wars occur in the region.

He explained that there was confusion surrounding the news regarding the “stopping of dollar transfers” from the United States to Iraq, indicating that Baghdad had requested the transfer of part of the surplus oil revenues deposited in JPMorgan Chase Bank and subject to the supervision of the US Treasury Department.

He pointed out that Iraq does not need all of its oil revenues immediately, so part of them is kept in the United States, noting that Washington informed Baghdad that it would postpone the transfer of additional funds until after the formation of the new government.

Goran predicted that the exchange rate of 100 dollars would fall to less than 150,000 dinars in the coming period, if regional conditions stabilize and there is no security or military escalation.

He stressed that the natural difference between the official price of 132,000 dinars per 100 dollars and the market price should remain within the limits of 12,000 to 13,000 dinars only.

Shafaq.com

A Chinese tanker carrying two million barrels of Iraqi oil is attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz.

Ship tracking data showed on Wednesday that a giant Chinese oil tanker carrying about two million barrels of Iraqi crude was attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz, a move that reflects the continued flow of Iraqi oil exports despite escalating security tensions in the region.

According to data from ship tracking company LSEG and the Kpler platform, the giant oil tanker “Yuan Hua Hu” passed Iran’s Larak Island and headed south through the strait, after being stuck in the Gulf since the beginning of March.

The tanker had loaded its cargo of Basra Medium crude from the port of Basra and is currently heading towards Asian markets. It is owned and managed by a unit of the Chinese company COSCO Shipping Energy Transportation, while the shipment was licensed by Unipec, the trading arm of Sinopec.

This attempt marks the third known passage of a Chinese oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz since military tensions escalated between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other on February 28, according to available tracking data.

Reports also indicated that Iran has strengthened its influence in the Strait in recent days through understandings related to oil and gas shipments with Iraq and Pakistan, amid global concerns about any disruption that could threaten the movement of energy supplies through the vital waterway.

This comes as Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that US forces imposing a naval blockade on Iran prevented a Greek ship carrying about two million barrels of Iraqi oil from continuing its journey to Vietnam for “unknown” reasons, while the Vietnamese government appealed to the United States to allow the oil shipment to proceed.

According to Bloomberg, the giant oil tanker Agios Phanourios 1, operated by Athens-based Eastern Mediterranean Maritime, made a sudden turn at sea on Monday near the point where the US blockade begins.

The tanker had passed through the Strait of Hormuz carrying 1.99 million barrels of Iraqi Basra Medium crude when it turned back, according to ship tracking data and documents seen by Bloomberg.

PetroVietnam Oil, the trading arm of the state-owned energy company, confirmed to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command that the cargo aboard the Agios Phanourios 1 belongs to them and was loaded in Iraq, according to a letter seen by Bloomberg. The tanker still indicates its destination as Nghi Son, home to one of the refineries in the Asian nation.

Shafaq.com