Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Late Saturday Evening 6-6-26
Government Spokesperson: Iraq is a Fully Sovereign Country
Iraqi News Agency (INA) Saturday, INA - BAGHDAD 6/06/2026 Government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi affirmed on Friday that Iraq is a fully sovereign country, and its supreme authority is not subject to internal or external dictates.
"The government of PM Ali Faleh al-Zaidi has presented a clear ministerial program, foremost among which is strengthening national sovereignty. Monopolizing weapons in the hands of the state and enforcing the law represent the government's starting point," al-Aboudi said in a televised statement to Al-Iraqiya News, reported by the Iraqi News Agency - INA.
He noted, “The national forces' response to the issue of weapons control has become evident to everyone. It is important to restrict weapons to the state to ensure that political agendas do not dictate their control. Iraq is a fully sovereign country, and its supreme authority is not subject to internal or external dictates."
"September 2026 will mark the end of the international coalition's presence in Iraq,” he highlighted.
Regarding the fuel station issue, Al-Aboudi confirmed that "the Prime Minister is personally overseeing the fuel station file, and stations are being supplied with gasoline."
On salaries and the evaluation of general managers, Al-Aboudi explained that "salaries are secured, and the Prime Minister differs from his predecessors because he comes from the business world and understands the intricacies of economic movements."
“The evaluation of general managers is one of the most important factors in institutional performance, and it will be conducted scientifically and meticulously," he underscored.
https://ina.iq/en/politics/49325-government-spokesperson-iraq-is-a-fully-sovereign-country.html
Employees With Different Salaries And Similar Qualifications An Economist Says The New Peace Agreement Will Cost The State "Trillions"
Baghdad Today - Special Report: In Baghdad, where the days are all the same in their noise and heavy routine, Ali would get up every morning to cross the gate of his government office as if crossing into another day of postponed duty. He would sign in, review papers, and get immersed in the details of work until the evening, then return burdened with a silent question: Is what he does really measured by what he earns at the end of the month?
On the other side of the city, Muhammad was taking almost the same route, but to a different government department, offices similar to Ali's, files piling up in the same way, and daily pressure that was not much different in appearance.
Yet, when payday came, an invisible gap was revealed between the two stories, a gap created not so much by the nature of the work as by the entanglements of laws and privileges.
Ali and Muhammad did not know each other, but they met every month at the same spot, a vague feeling that justice, despite its presence in speeches, was still searching for its way among the various state circles.
This story, which is repeated among thousands of employees in Iraq, has become a constant topic of discussion and controversy in recent years, amid increasing demands to reconsider the salary structure and end the disparities that have arisen due to accumulated laws and exceptions.
With the return of talk about a comprehensive reform of the salary scale, the issue stands out as one of the most sensitive challenges facing the government, as it seeks to achieve job fairness without burdening the general budget with potentially large financial burdens.
Economic expert Nasser Al-Tamimi explained today, Friday (June 5, 2026), that Iraq is facing an important obligation related to reconsidering the structure of salaries and wages in state institutions, in light of the large disparity that exists between employees of ministries, agencies and entities not affiliated with a ministry, which has accumulated over many years as a result of special legislation, exceptions and multiple privileges.
Al-Tamimi told Baghdad Today that “talking about a comprehensive reform of the salary scale is no longer just an administrative option, but has become a necessity to achieve a greater degree of functional and social justice.
The existence of employees with the same qualifications and experience who receive vastly different salaries due to the different entity in which they work represents one of the most prominent challenges facing the public administration in Iraq.”
He stressed that “adopting a unified salary scale can be a positive step towards addressing current imbalances, but its success depends on its design taking into account the nature of different jobs and specializations, levels of responsibility and competence.
Absolute unification of salaries may lead to new problems if it does not include professional and productive incentives that ensure attracting and retaining talent, especially in specialized and technical sectors.”
He added that "any broad reform of salaries will entail a large financial burden that may reach several trillion dinars annually if the principle of raising the lowest salaries to the levels of the highest-paid entities is adopted, which requires conducting accurate financial studies to determine the sources of funding and the mechanisms for phased implementation."
He added that "the main challenge facing the government is to achieve a balance between social justice and financial sustainability, as job disparities cannot be addressed at the expense of the state's financial stability or an increase in the general budget deficit. Successful reform should be gradual, well-considered, and linked to broader reforms in human resource management and government spending."
Al-Tamimi stressed that "there is a need to review the special privileges, allowances and exceptions that have accumulated over the past years, which have become one of the most prominent reasons for disparity among employees, and achieving justice requires subjecting all institutions to unified and transparent standards as much as possible."
He added that “any broad adjustment to salaries will have direct repercussions on the general budget and the Iraqi economy, as it may contribute to stimulating local demand and improving the living standards of employees, but on the other hand, it may increase financial and inflationary pressures if it is not accompanied by balanced economic and financial reforms.”
Al-Tamimi concluded by saying: “Reforming the salary system in Iraq should be viewed as part of a comprehensive public administration reform project aimed at promoting fairness, efficiency, and rationalizing government spending, in a way that serves the interests of both the employee and the state.”
Over the past decades, Iraq's salary system has undergone frequent modifications, resulting in significant disparities among employees in state institutions.
This is due to the adoption of special laws, allowances, and exceptions that have granted some entities financial privileges exceeding those received by employees in other institutions, despite similar qualifications and job responsibilities.
With the increasing number of employees and the rising annual payroll, reforming the salary scale has become one of the most sensitive issues, given its direct impact on the general budget and the standard of living of millions of Iraqi families, as well as its connection to demands for achieving job fairness and enhancing the efficiency of government administration. https://baghdadtoday.news/300687-.html
Monte Carlo: Al-Zaidi Received US Pledges Of Broad Economic Support In Exchange For Proceeding With The Plan To "Monopolize Weapons In The Hands Of The State"
latest news Saturday, June 6, 2026 Baghdad - One News Monte Carlo Radio revealed intensive meetings being held by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi with American diplomats, coinciding with the start of the plan to disarm Iranian-backed factions.
According to the radio station, the American message included a pledge of significant economic support for the al-Zaidi government to strengthen the plan and restore security coordination between Baghdad and Washington after its decline following the recent war.
In this context, the government announced the provision of thirty-five thousand jobs in the security and military institutions to integrate members of the factions that agree, most notably the Sadr Movement, Asaib Ahl al-Haq, and the Imam Ali Brigades, in exchange for pursuing those who reject this American vision. https://1news-iq.net/مونت-كارلو-الزيدي-تلقى-تعهدات-أمريكية/
Security Source To “Eram News”: Signs Of US Support For Al-Zaydi Against The Factions Are Escalating, Including Air Support
latest news Saturday, June 6, 2026 Baghdad - One News An Iraqi security source told Eram News that the chances of Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi accepting the American offer to confront the factions refusing to hand over their weapons, which former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani had previously rejected, are increasing.
The security source said the offer includes providing multiple forms of support, most notably full US air support from bases in Iraq.
He explained that the military tools available to the government are ready to impose its authority and end the influence of the pro-Iranian arms that refuse to hand over weapons, foremost among them the blood relatives, Malik al-Ashtar, the Kaabi movement, and the Hamidawi Brigades.https://1news-iq.net/مصدر-أمني-لـإرم-نيوز-مؤشرات-الدعم-الأ/
Al-Khafaji reveals the course of procedures for "weapons control" and the legal and regulatory frameworks for completing the "integration of factions"
latest news Saturday, June 6, 2026 Baghdad - One News 6/06/2026 The Ministry of Defense announced the receipt of large quantities of weapons, while confirming that there is no timetable for the process of restricting weapons to the state.
The Director of Media and Moral Guidance at the Ministry, Major General Pilot Tahsin Al-Khafaji, said: “The transfer and integration process is complex and important, and requires legal and regulatory frameworks and the provision of job positions, given its connection to heavy weapons, equipment, personnel, salaries, and job entitlements.”
He confirmed that “important steps have already begun through reliance on the laws, regulations, and approved mechanisms for receiving,” assuring that “work on this file is proceeding smoothly, and there is no time limit for completing this file.”https://1news-iq.net/الخفاجي-يكشف-عن-مسار-إجراءات-حصر-السلا/
Iraqi Pm To Visit Washington For Expanding Us Investment
2026-06-06 / 13:05 Shafaq News- Baghdad Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced Saturday an upcoming official visit to Washington, accompanied by a delegation of Iraqi business leaders. According to his office, the visit aims to expand opportunities for mutual and joint investment, without specifying a date.
The Washington trip would be the first official foreign visit by the Iraqi prime minister since he was sworn in on May 1.
Read more: Al-Zaidi sworn in as Iraq's prime minister with a program already failed
US President Donald Trump extended an official invitation to al-Zaidi in a phone call on April 30, expressing a desire to develop and strengthen bilateral relations across various fields.
https://shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Iraqi-PM-to-visit-Washington-for-expanding-US-investment