Al-Zaydi and Erdogan agree to begin implementing the “Development Road” and to organize meetings of the “Water Committee”.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed on Tuesday evening to begin implementing the “Strategic Development Road” project and to continue regular meetings of the joint standing committee between the two countries concerned with the water issue. IraqPolitics News

Al-Zaydi’s media office stated in a statement received by Shafaq News Agency that extensive joint talks took place between the two sides at the Presidential Complex in the Turkish capital, Ankara, which included initiating the implementation of the “Strategic Development Road” project, as well as files related to the oil, water, energy, security, trade, transportation and education sectors, and strengthening cooperation and developing projects between the two countries, in addition to agreeing on the regularity of meetings of the Standing Committee concerned with the water file.

According to the statement, Al-Zaydi expressed his thanks and appreciation to Erdogan and the Republic of Turkey for the warm welcome and hospitality, noting that Iraq and Turkey share geography and civilization, and that the Iraqi government seeks to establish an effective economic partnership in various economic and developmental fields.

The Prime Minister affirmed the government’s commitment to proceeding with the strategic development plan, which will be an important economic route for both countries, and reiterated the government’s desire for Turkish companies to participate in implementing investment projects in Iraq.

For his part, the Turkish President renewed his welcome to Al-Zaidi and his accompanying delegation, and stressed the growing common will to cooperate in all fields and to exert more efforts to develop bilateral relations, stressing Turkey’s readiness to support Iraq in the field of civil aviation and to implement the development road project, as well as the readiness of Turkish companies to work and invest in various development sectors in Iraq.

Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi arrived in Ankara on Tuesday for an official visit to the Republic of Turkey, leading a high-level government delegation.

Shafaq.com

The Democratic Party: Tehran rejected Baghdad’s request to allow ships carrying Iraqi oil to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

A politician from the Kurdistan Democratic Party confirmed on Tuesday that Tehran Request rejected Baghdad Allowing ships loaded with Iraqi oil to pass through Strait of Hormuz.

Party member Wafaa Mohammed told [the media outlet] Alsumaria News, that “Iran Iraq’s request to allow ships carrying Iraqi oil to pass through was rejected. Strait of Hormuz “Is this how you repay kindness?” he asked. DailyNews Reports

He added that Iraq It was the lifeblood of the Iranian economy and provided significant assistance to Iran during the sanctions. Iranian oil was sold using forged Iraqi documents, yet today we see no benefit from the Iranian side, which is currently insisting on Iraq paying $12 billion for Iranian gas at inflated prices.
He continued, “We mustn’t forget that Iraqi interests have been targeted repeatedly by Iranian drones and missiles in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Alsumaria.tv

Al-Jalabi: Maliki will not go to parliament before reaching an agreement on passing the remaining ministries.

Zuhair al-Jalabi, a member of the State of Law Coalition, confirmed that the head of his coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, will not go to parliament to complete the cabinet before an understanding and agreement is reached on passing the remaining candidates in al-Zidi’s cabinet.

Al-Jalabi told Al-Maalouma that “the parliamentary session to grant confidence to the government witnessed a conspiracy and a power struggle by parties within the coordination framework with other parties from the Sunni bloc, represented by Al-Halbousi, as they worked to obstruct a third within the council to ensure that the ministers of the State of Law Coalition and the other candidates for the nine remaining ministries in Al-Zaidi’s cabinet were not passed.”

He added that “the conspiracy that took place inside the parliament targeted the head of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, and this is something that should not be repeated,” noting that “the smiles distributed in the meetings are not real, as there are major disagreements and a lack of trust between the political parties.”

He explained that “Maliki will not go to parliament without reaching an agreement and understanding on passing the candidates for the remaining ministerial positions, in order to avoid a repeat of what happened during the confidence vote session.”

Almaalomah.me

Al-Abadi’s coalition: Party interests are hindering the completion of the government.

The spokesman for the Victory Coalition, Aqeel al-Rudaini, called on political forces Tuesday to set aside personal differences and work toward completing the government’s cabinet.

Al-Rudaini told the Information Agency, “All political parties must overcome their differences and narrow partisan interests, and focus on supporting the completion of the ministerial structure without delay.”

He added, “Completing the cabinet is a fundamental and crucial step to address the economic, service, and security crises plaguing the country, and to meet the aspirations of the citizens.”

Earlier, Zuhair al-Jalabi, a member of the State of Law Coalition, asserted that the parliamentary session to grant confidence to the government was marred by a conspiracy and a power struggle orchestrated by parties within the coordination framework with other Sunni figures, represented by al-Halbousi. He claimed they formed a blocking third within the parliament to ensure the failure to approve the State of Law Coalition’s ministers and other nominees for the nine remaining ministerial positions in al-Zaidi’s cabinet.

Almaalomah.me

Al-Shammari calls on Al-Zaydi to reveal the names of the “corruption kingpins” involved in stealing public funds.

On Tuesday, MP Mohammed Al-Shammari, from the parliamentary services bloc, called on Prime Minister Ali Al-Zidi to reveal the names of the “corruption kingpins” involved in looting and stealing public funds.

Al-Shammari told Al-Maalouma News Agency that “the Prime Minister must take bold and direct steps in the fight against corruption, by announcing the identities of the entities and individuals involved in major cases to the public.”

He added that “delaying the disclosure of these names gives corrupt individuals an opportunity to evade responsibility,” stressing the importance of “public accountability and the recovery of looted funds to support the national economy and enhance citizens’ confidence in the regulatory and executive system.” FinancialMarket Analysis

These statements coincide with escalating popular and political calls directed at the Prime Minister to expand the government’s anti-corruption campaign to include opening major cases and removing corrupt figures in order to end the chronic crisis plaguing the country.

Almaalomah.me

Al-Zaydi: “The development route” transforms Iraq and Turkey into a link between Asia and Europe

Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi affirmed on Tuesday that the vital development road project transforms Iraq and Turkey into a link connecting Asia and Europe, while also calling for joint management of the water issue between the two countries.

In an article for the official Turkish news agency Anadolu, Al-Zaydi wrote that “during the past decades, the relationship between Iraq and Turkey was presented from the angle of files that need management: security, water, trade, and border movement,” indicating that the region “stands today before a different opportunity, which requires us to look to the future with a more ambitious eye.” DailyNews Reports

He added that “Iraq has chosen the path of stability, reform and development, and has prioritized building a strong economy, an effective state, and balanced foreign relations that make regional cooperation a pillar of growth,” stressing that Turkey “possesses an advanced industrial base, a strategic location, and extensive experience in the fields of infrastructure, energy and transportation.”

Al-Zaydi said that “the potential of the two countries together is not just shared borders, but a wide space to build one of the most important economic partnerships in the region,” noting that “Iraq and Turkey have a historic opportunity to transform their geographical location into economic value, making them a link between the Gulf, Asia and Europe.”

He pointed out that “the development route is not just an Iraqi project, but a regional one that redefines the concept of economic connectivity in the Middle East,” explaining that “the development route not only shortens the time for transporting goods, but also creates new cities, industrial zones, investment opportunities, thousands of jobs, and gives the region a new economic artery that connects ports to global markets.”

In another part of his article, the Iraqi Prime Minister addressed the issue of water, saying that it “is no longer just a technical issue, but has become a development issue that affects the future of millions of citizens,” expressing his hope for “joint management of the water issue based on mutual interests, scientific cooperation, and investment in modern technologies, in order to achieve water and food security for our people.”

These statements come at a time when Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi is expected to make an official visit at the head of a high-level government delegation to Ankara to discuss several issues with Turkish officials regarding bilateral relations between the two countries, and the events and developments taking place in the region.

In April 2024, Iraq, Turkey, the UAE and Qatar signed a four-way agreement for the Iraq Development Road project, under the auspices of former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The project, which includes a 1,200-kilometer road and railway within Iraq, aims to promote economic integration between East and West, increase international trade, and facilitate the movement of goods.

The project’s investment budget is approximately $17 billion, divided between $6.5 billion for the highway and $10.5 billion for the electric railway. It will be implemented in three phases, ending in 2028, 2033, and 2050.

The project is expected to provide around 100,000 job opportunities in the first phase and one million job opportunities upon completion, and will promote economic growth and regional and international cooperation.

Shafaq.com

Al-Zaidi arrives in Türkiye on an official visit

Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi arrived in Ankara on Tuesday for an official visit to the Republic of Turkey, leading a high-level government delegation.

The Prime Minister’s Media Office stated in a statement that Al-Zidi will meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and a number of senior Turkish officials to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the areas of economy, water, security and investment, in addition to discussing files and issues of common interest related to the region.

He added that the visit will include discussions on mechanisms for implementing bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding, and following up on and developing joint infrastructure projects, in a way that serves the interests of the two neighboring countries.

Commenting on the visit, Al-Zaidi said in a post on the “X” platform, “We are linked to Türkiye by historical, geographical and cultural proximity, and by diverse common interests.”

He added, “During our visit, we will discuss investment, water, and development initiatives, as well as efforts to enhance stability in the region, in addition to addressing a number of economic and security issues, all of which will contribute to achieving mutual benefit for our two peoples.” FinancialMarket Analysis

According to a government source, the visit to the Turkish capital, Ankara, will include talks and cooperation agreements in the security, economic and investment fields, as well as oil and energy issues and increasing trade exchange, in addition to discussing a number of regional and international issues.

Al-Zaidi had visited the United States on July 14, before making an official visit to Iran on July 24, as part of regional and international diplomatic moves that Iraq has witnessed recently.

Shafaq.com

Iraq earns more than $2.3 billion from oil exports in May and June

The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced on Tuesday that the country’s crude oil exports exceeded 32 million barrels, with financial revenues amounting to more than $2.3 billion during the months of May and June, based on the final statistics of the Iraqi Oil Marketing Company (SOMO). IraqEconomic Reports

The ministry stated in a statement received by Shafaq News Agency that the total amount of crude oil exported reached 32 million, 114 thousand and 677 barrels, with revenues amounting to $2 billion, 335 million, 537 thousand and 399 dollars.

The statistics showed that the quantities exported from the Basra fields amounted to 20 million, 238 thousand, 836 barrels, while exports of Kurdistan Region oil via the Turkish port of Ceyhan amounted to 1 million, 564 thousand, 625 barrels, while the quantities exported from Kirkuk oil via the same port amounted to 10 million, 311 thousand, 216 barrels.

The release of these statistics comes after a period of not regularly disclosing export and revenue data following regional tensions that affected energy supply chains and maritime navigation in the region during the past months.

In this regard, oil expert Hamza Al-Jawahiri explained in an interview with Shafaq News Agency that the irregularity of export operations and the difficulty in stabilizing exported quantities have affected the mechanism for issuing official statistics, indicating that the lack of regular confirmation of export data limits transparency and makes it difficult to accurately assess the performance of the oil sector and the revenues achieved.

It is worth noting that the Ministry of Oil had stopped publishing regular monthly statistics on exports and revenues since the release of the report for last April.

Shafaq.com

In response to pressure from political blocs, the Kurdistan Democratic Party ends its boycott of the Kirkuk Provincial Council and decides to return.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party in the Kirkuk Provincial Council announced on Tuesday that it has ended its boycott of the council’s sessions and meetings and will return to attending them, following the approval of the party leadership and in response to the demands of the participating political blocs. DailyNews Reports

Hassan Majeed, head of the party bloc in the Kirkuk Provincial Council, said in a press conference attended by a Shafaq News Agency correspondent that “the party leadership has agreed to the return of the bloc members to the provincial council meetings and to end the boycott that continued during the past period.”

He added that “the decision to return came in response to the demands of all political blocs that called for the party’s participation in the sessions, in order to ensure the strengthening of institutional work and participation in discussing service and administrative files that concern the people of the governorate.”

Majid pointed out that “the return aims to contribute to decision-making related to the governorate and to activate the role of its council during the next stage.”

This step comes after nearly two years of boycotting council sessions by members of the Kurdistan Democratic Party in protest against the formation of the Kirkuk local government at the Al-Rasheed Hotel in Baghdad without their participation, which is expected to strengthen the completion of the legal quorum and the participation of all components in managing the affairs of the governorate.

The Kurdistan Democratic Party’s boycott of the Kirkuk Provincial Council meetings dates back to the crisis that erupted following the “Al-Rasheed Hotel” session in Baghdad in August 2024, during which the local administration of the province was formed and Rebwar Taha was elected governor with the support of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and Arab and Christian forces, in contrast to the objection of the Democratic Party, the Turkmen Front and a number of Arab forces who considered the session to be contrary to political agreements and outside the framework of holding the council inside Kirkuk.

Since then, the Democratic Party has continued its boycott of council meetings, asserting that its position represents an extension of its objection to the outcomes of the “Al-Rashid Hotel Agreement” and its non-recognition of the mechanism by which the power-sharing process in the province was managed.

In April 2026, the rotation of positions agreement was implemented, with Ribwar Taha resigning and Mohammed Samaan being elected governor of Kirkuk, but the Kurdistan Democratic Party renewed its boycott of the session.

Shafaq.com

Iraq’s reliance on oil revenues fell to 84% in five months

Official data from the Iraqi Ministry of Finance, released on Monday, showed that the contribution of oil revenues to financing the federal budget during the first five months of 2026 fell to 84%, compared to 91% during the same period in 2025, while the contribution of non-oil revenues rose to 16%. IraqPolitics News

According to the ministry’s report, which was reviewed by Shafaq News Agency, the total revenues of the federal budget until the end of May 2026 amounted to about 33.747 trillion dinars, compared to 46.157 trillion dinars during the same period of 2025, a decrease of 12.410 trillion dinars, and a decline rate of about 26.9%.

Oil and mineral revenues amounted to 26.946 trillion dinars by the end of May 2026, compared to 41.931 trillion dinars in the same period last year, a decrease of 14.985 trillion dinars, or about 35.7%.

In contrast, non-oil revenues rose to 6.477 trillion dinars, compared to 4.226 trillion dinars in the same period of 2025, an increase of 2.251 trillion dinars, and a growth rate of about 53.3%, raising its contribution to total revenues from 9% to 16%.

The data showed an improvement in most non-oil revenue sources, as taxes on income and wealth increased from 574 billion dinars to 635.6 billion dinars, commodity taxes and production fees increased from 1.028 trillion dinars to 1.440 trillion dinars, fees increased from 434 billion dinars to 486.6 billion dinars, while the budget’s share of public sector profits increased from 660 billion dinars to 1.242 trillion dinars.

The report indicated that total oil revenues for 2026 amounted to 27.270 trillion dinars, including 2.090 trillion dinars representing oil revenues delivered from the Kurdistan Region to the state treasury after accounting adjustments.

The comparison between the two years shows that the decline in total revenues is mainly due to the decline in oil revenues, while the remarkable growth in non-oil revenues contributed to raising their contribution to the budget resources, with oil revenues continuing as the main source of financing the public treasury.

Shafaq.com