Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Tuesday Evening 2-24-26
“Iraq Without The Kurds”: Political And Economic Cost Of Rupture
2026-02-24 Shafaq News - By Ali Hussein Feyli An “Iraq without the Kurds” would not represent merely a geographic or political shift; beyond the deep historical bonds, it would mean the collapse of economic, security, and social ties. The consequences would be swift, comprehensive, and cross-border. It cannot be claimed that the crisis between Baghdad and Erbil is the making of one side alone.
Baghdad understands that the Kurdish people’s vision is a blend of national aspirations, legal rights, and identity. Any solution must therefore take these dimensions into account.
Those with a pragmatic outlook, concerned primarily with livelihoods and stability, expect authorities to ease tensions rather than obstruct efforts to resolve long-standing structural crises whose wounds have remained open for years. Otherwise, future generations will inherit it.
The identity- and citizenship-related dimensions of an “Iraq without the Kurds” scenario would either transform social relations or eliminate them altogether. What is being practiced today is a policy of ignoring rights and suspending justice, one that would impose a long-term social and moral cost that cannot be repaired.
The defining question is whether Iraqis seek to revive their shared history in an inclusive manner, or allow moments of political recklessness that cross “sacred lines” to burn away a collective human legacy and the values of citizenship.
At a time when even relations between two neighbors require a long-term strategy, why does no Iraqi minister or official “among those who shape disastrous outcomes” recognize that the current situation poses an imminent threat? This type of conduct and policy is what ultimately determines the future of Iraqis.
The loss of any part of Iraq’s geography would not simply alter borders; its consequences would be accelerating and extremely costly. Rational policymaking in the face of such risks would not spare the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Planning, or any related institution from accountability.
To mitigate the damage of a scenario involving the loss of the people and geography of Kurdistan, central decision-making in Baghdad requires a technical, not tactical, approach; financial justice rather than a “ministry of cutting off livelihoods”; and careful planning instead of concealed mismanagement.
Openness free from fanaticism is a necessary prior intention, as the prevailing trajectory in this country is toward deeper polarization, the real danger of rupture, and the expansion of further crises.
Proponents of such ideas futilely promote the notion that “lifting injustice” can be achieved through forced displacement and transferring the inhabitants of one area to another. In reality, reversing this course is what rebuilds trust and creates an inclusive identity among the country’s components. Every step that lacks rationality will carry a long-term cost and generate new crises. A carefully considered political decision can determine the path toward stability or collapse.
Attempting a solution requires alignment in will and public decision-making to prevent the accumulation of factors that fuel political instability, radicalization, rising protests, and further social fragmentation among the country’s components. This process demands legal and political measures, not coercive and arbitrary actions.
https://www.shafaq.com/en/Report/Iraq-without-the-Kurds-Political-and-economic-cost-of-rupture
Iraqi Kurdistan Appoints First Female Chief Of Internal Security Court
2026-02-24 Shafaq News- Erbil The Kurdistan Region Interior Ministry on Tuesday appointed Chra Ahmed Latif as acting head of the Internal Security Forces Court /2, marking the first time a woman has held the senior post, Interior Minister Rebar Ahmed said.
In a statement, Ahmed noted the decision reflects the ministry’s efforts to strengthen women’s leadership and expand women’s roles within security institutions.
Women’s representation in the Region has grown in recent years, with women holding 26.2% of judicial positions and 27.8% of public prosecutor posts, while 147 women have entered parliament under the 30% quota, according to Dindar Zebari, the Kurdish Coordinator for the Office of International Advocacy (OCIA), at the UN’s CEDAW session.
X Rêber Ahmed @RayberAhmed
As part of the Ministry of Interior’s vision to strengthen women’s leadership, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Brigadier Chra Ahmed Latif as Acting Head of the Internal Security Forces Court/2 — the first woman to hold this senior position. Congratulations to her on this well-deserved recognition, and wishing her continued success.
Iraq’s Largest Bloc Claims Geopolitical Foothold In Gulf After UN Maritime Filing
2026-02-24 Shafaq News- Baghdad Lawmakers from caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s parliamentary bloc on Tuesday denied that the United Nations has the authority to revoke Iraq’s newly deposited maritime maps, describing the step as a sovereign milestone that makes the country “practically a Gulf state.”
At a press conference in parliament, Bahaa al-Araji, a leader in the Reconstruction and Development bloc (Al-Ima’ar wal Tanmiya) —the largest electoral bloc— said the filing formally clarified Iraq’s maritime boundaries and marked the completion of its sovereign framework at sea.
“With the deposit of these maps, Iraq has secured a geopolitical foothold in the Gulf,” al-Araji said, adding that the move would encourage oil and gas exploration and grant Iraqi fishermen greater freedom to navigate Gulf waters.
The submission to the United Nations includes updated geographic coordinates defining Iraq’s internal waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, and exclusive economic zone (EEZ), outlining the maritime areas over which Iraq exercises sovereign rights under international law.
MP Alia Nassif, speaking at the same conference, described the deposit as a legal consolidation of Iraq’s maritime rights rather than a routine technical procedure. She noted that no previous Iraqi government —during either the monarchy or the republican era— had formally lodged such maps with the UN.
Nassif acknowledged Kuwait’s right to object but denied that the United Nations can annul the filing. “This deposit is a sovereign right,” she said, arguing that Iraq is now “the master of the situation in drawing the maps” and has “moved from a position of defense to one of ownership,” with the other side required to substantiate its maritime claims.
Iraq, she added, aims to compete with nearby regional ports, including Qatari ports, and maintained that once the Grand al-Faw Port is completed, the country will possess facilities capable of rivaling ports across the region.
Baghdad and Kuwait continue technical and legal discussions to finalize maritime delimitation, particularly in the Khor Abdullah waterway —a narrow but strategically significant channel that has long strained relations between the two neighbors. Iraqi officials indicated that the newly deposited coordinates are expected to serve as a reference point in those talks.
Read more: Khor Abdullah: A waterway entangled in sovereignty disputes and legacy of invasion
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has called on Iraq to withdraw the maritime coordinates and map lodged with the UN, arguing that the submission includes “claims” affecting Kuwait’s sovereignty over certain maritime areas and water elevations, including Fasht Al-Qaid and Fasht Al-Aij, which Kuwait considers “undisputed territory.”
Iraq Faces New US Deadline To Withdraw Nouri Al-Maliki Nomination
2026-02-24 Shafaq News- Baghdad Iraq’s Shiite Coordination Framework (CF) has until February 27 to withdraw Nouri Al-Maliki’s nomination for prime minister, a senior source within the alliance told Shafaq News on Tuesday.
The deadline was discussed during a meeting held on Monday, where Al-Maliki made clear he would not step aside, adding that any reversal would have to come from the bloc that nominated him.
The Framework, parliament’s ruling bloc, is expected to convene again before Friday, with discussions focused on rallying a majority to revoke his nomination. Still, Reconstruction and Development parliamentary bloc leader Bahaa Al-Araji, speaking to Shafaq News earlier today, stressed that the CF will not change its nominee for prime minister because of “any US decision.”
A US State Department spokesperson previously told our agency that President Donald Trump’s position remains unchanged and that selecting Al-Maliki would prompt Washington to “reassess its relationship with Iraq.” US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack also reiterated during meetings in Baghdad and Erbil that Washington opposes Al-Maliki’s candidacy and outlined potential measures if it proceeds, according to the source.
Read more: Iraq’s next Prime Minister held hostage by US-Iran standoff
https://www.shafaq.com/en/Iraq/Iraq-faces-new-US-deadline-to-withdraw-Nouri-Al-Maliki-nomination
PUK, US Push For Kurdish Unity On Iraq And Kurdistan Governments
2026-02-24 Shafaq News- Erbil The formation of Iraq’s new government topped talks on Tuesday between Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani and US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack, according to a statement.
The two sides discussed political developments in Iraq and the wider region, stressing the need to resolve the issues delaying cabinet formation in Iraq. Talabani affirmed that the PUK would continue to play an “important role” in Baghdad to help secure a future that serves all Iraqis.
X Bafel Jalal Talabani @Bafeltalabani
Bafel Jalal Talabani, President of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, received @USAMBTurkiye Tom Barrack, the Special Envoy of President Donald Trump for Syrian affairs. In the meeting, Qubad Talabani, Senior PUK leadership member, and @USEmbBaghdad Joshua Harris, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires in Iraq, were also present. The current political situation in Iraq and the wider region was discussed.
The formation of the new Iraqi government was a central topic, and both sides agreed on the need to make progress on the issues preventing the formation of the government in Baghdad. Both sides stressed that Iraq must remain a prosperous, sovereign, and independent country.
President Bafel Jalal Talabani stated that the PUK will continue to play an important role in Baghdad to ensure the future of the country is such that it best serves all the people of Iraq.
They also agreed on the necessity of finalizing the formation of the new Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet, highlighting that the current situation requires a unified Kurdish voice in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.
The meeting also addressed the stalled formation of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) cabinet. Both sides emphasized that current conditions require “a unified Kurdish voice in the Kurdistan Region and Iraq.”
Political tensions between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the PUK, the two main parties in the Kurdistan Region, have paralyzed the Kurdistan Region’s legislature since the October 2024 elections, when the KDP secured 39 of the parliament’s 100 seats, and the PUK won 23. Lawmakers convened briefly on December 3 but failed to elect a speaker or advance cabinet formation, leading to an open-ended suspension.
Read more: Kurdistan Region’s political deadlock: Impact and perils
The rivalry extends to the federal level. In Iraq’s 2025 parliamentary elections, the KDP won 26 seats nationwide, compared with 15 for the PUK. Under Iraq’s post-2003 power-sharing system, the Iraqi presidency is traditionally held by a Kurdish figure —most often from the PUK— while the KDP retains the Kurdistan Region presidency. Disputes over the post have also previously delayed government formation.
Read more: Iraq slips into constitutional vacuum as presidential deadlock drags on
https://www.shafaq.com/en/Kurdistan/PUK-US-push-for-Kurdish-unity-on-Iraq-and-Kurdistan-governments