Monday Iraq News Posted by Tishwash at TNT 6-15-2026
TNT:
Tishwash: Ambassador Tom Barrack arrives in Baghdad to convey President Trump's support for the Iraqi government.
US envoy and ambassador, Tom Barrack, announced his arrival in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on an official visit, with the aim of strengthening joint cooperation and discussing prospects for partnership between the two countries.
Barak explained, in a post published on his official X platform account, that he began his visit by meeting with the staff of the US Embassy in Baghdad, headed by Chargé d'Affaires Joshua Harris.
The US envoy indicated that he would meet today with Prime Minister (al-Zaidi) to convey a message of support from President Donald Trump for the Iraqi government, in addition to discussing the bilateral partnership and exploring new directions for building strong and mutually beneficial relations between the United States and Iraq. link
Tishwash: The President of the Kurdistan Region welcomes the US-Iran agreement and affirms: Tom Barrack's visit will address important issues.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani announced on Monday, June 15, 2026, in a special statement to Kurdistan24 correspondent Hoshmand Sadiq, the region’s full support for the agreement reached between the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The United States and Iran reached a comprehensive agreement early Monday morning, June 15, 2026, to end tensions. The agreement includes a ceasefire in Lebanon and the reopening of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, and is scheduled to be officially signed in Switzerland next Friday, June 19.
Nechirvan Barzani expressed his hope that this agreement would be implemented quickly so that peace and stability could return to the region, stressing that the main goal is to avoid wars and establish peace, thus paving the way for greater stability for the people.
Tom Barrack, the US President’s Special Envoy to Iraq and Syria, is scheduled to visit Baghdad and Erbil on Tuesday, June 16, 2026.
Regarding this visit, the President of the Kurdistan Region explained that this is the first time that Tom Barrack has officially visited the region in his capacity as an envoy of the US President, stressing that issues related to the Kurdistan Region and Iraq in general will be discussed in order to strengthen joint coordination between all parties.
Regarding the internal situation in the Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani indicated that President Masoud Barzani’s initiative came at the right time, stressing the continuation of communication and work with all political parties. link
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Tishwash: Uncertainty surrounds Washington: How will al-Zaidi's visit reshape Iraqi-American relations?
Professor of Political Science Dr. Khalifa Al-Tamimi revealed on Sunday (June 14, 2026) that any future visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi to the White House will focus on four main and direct issues with the American administration, foremost among them the financial file and the future of energy.
Al-Tamimi told Baghdad Today that the Prime Minister's upcoming visit to the United States will put four key issues on the table for discussion, most notably the financial situation and exploring mechanisms for developing investment, particularly in the oil and gas sectors. He added that the talks will also include the security aspect, in accordance with the terms of the Strategic Framework Agreement.
He added that "among the main issues is outlining the nature of the relationship between Baghdad and Washington for the next stage, especially since the United States has extensive vital interests in Iraq, at a time when the country is going through a sensitive and complex phase that requires the government to define its strategy in a way that preserves the supreme national interests and regulates the form of partnership with the American side."
Al-Tamimi pointed out that "the visit will consciously address how to support Baghdad in light of the financial crisis that has begun to take on critical dimensions, especially with the continuation of the Strait of Hormuz crisis, which has complicated the marketing of about 90% of Iraqi oil exports, which constitute the main nerve of the general budget."
The political expert pointed out that "the current US administration differs in its orientations from previous administrations, and the features of its policies towards Baghdad are still not entirely clear," suggesting that "this visit will provide decisive and important answers regarding how Washington will deal with the Iraqi file in all its complexities."
Al-Tamimi concluded by saying: “The Prime Minister’s visit to the United States may constitute a turning point in the course of the Iraqi financial crisis, through discussing the possibility of obtaining emergency exemptions related to energy or exports, and redrawing Iraq’s financial policies in a way that positively impacts internal economic stability.”
It is worth noting that Iraq and the United States share deep-rooted political, security, and economic ties based on the Strategic Framework Agreement signed in 2008, which governs cooperation between the two countries.
These moves come at a time when Baghdad faces mounting financial challenges due to the volatility of the global energy market and the logistical pressures associated with oil exports, amidst concerted government efforts to attract foreign investment and expand international partnerships to diversify national income sources. link
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Tishwash: Parliamentary warnings about the economic exhaustion of the Iraqi street... Are lean years looming on the horizon?
MP Duha Laibi, from the Coordination Framework, sounded the alarm regarding the deteriorating living and service conditions in the country, stressing that the Iraqi street has become “completely exhausted” from the burden of the recent economic measures and reforms that have negatively affected its daily strength and future livelihood, at a time when large segments of citizens lack the most basic necessities of life and essential services.
Laibi told Al-Maalomah that “the ongoing waves of demonstrations and protests in various governorates are nothing but a natural reflection of the deep-rooted unemployment crisis,” explaining that “thousands of graduates continue to flock to the streets to demand their legitimate rights to appointment and job opportunities, coinciding with a state of overwhelming public discontent fueled by the continuation of corruption files and the waste of public money without decisive solutions.”
She added that “the successive wars and conflicts in the region have cast a heavy shadow on the joints of the national economy and levels of national income, leading to a direct erosion of the purchasing power of citizens and exacerbating the harshness of living conditions.”
Laibi revealed “an anticipated parliamentary movement that includes proposals and legislative actions aimed at curbing inflation and ensuring the stability of the Iraqi dinar exchange rate to protect the purchasing power of the citizen,” while stressing the need for the government to adopt flexible economic policies that take into account the human and livelihood dimension, and avoid burdening vulnerable classes with additional burdens that they cannot bear.”
The MP explained that “despite the House of Representatives being in its current legislative recess, this temporary stagnation will not disrupt oversight mechanisms,” emphasizing that “the relevant parliamentary committees and MPs concerned with oversight are closely and continuously monitoring all new government decisions and measures, especially those related to the pressing economic situation and exchange rate policies, to ensure that the situation does not deteriorate further.” link
Tishwash: The Investment Authority details the procedures for "Mall of Iraq" and responds to the statements of its owner.
On Sunday, the National Investment Commission issued a statement clarifying the legal procedures related to the "Iraq Mall" project, in response to what was circulated in the media and statements by the project's owner, Hassan Nasser, regarding exemption requests and power outages.
Hassan Nasser, the owner of "Iraq Mall," announced during a press conference that the mall is threatened with closure within 48 hours due to power outages, and financial losses estimated at about one and a half billion per month.
Nasser also said that the mall is facing major operational difficulties as a result of fluctuating electricity supply, which may lead to its complete closure during the aforementioned period.
The statement issued by the commission, and received by Shafaq News Agency, said that the first official communication from “Jewel of Baghdad for Investment and Real Estate Development” company, the owner and implementer of the project, was dated 5/24/2026, and was received from the Baghdad Investment Commission to the National Investment Commission, in which it requested that the mobile power station for the project with a capacity of 132.33 MVA be included in the customs exemptions.
She added that the Authority contacted the Ministry of Electricity on 2/6/2026 after the request was studied by the technical department to obtain the necessary approvals from the relevant sectoral authorities. The Ministry of Industry and Minerals was also contacted on 1/6/2026 via the electronic platform to determine the possibility of manufacturing the station locally or not, in accordance with the law protecting local products.
The authority explained that the investor submitted a pledge on 6/8/2026 to pay the customs duties if the station could be manufactured locally by the Ministry of Industry, noting that the General Authority of Customs was contacted to include the station in the exemptions in order to speed up the procedures.
She explained that the General Authority of Customs responded on 6/10/2026 with a rejection due to the lack of a legal basis, while emphasizing the need for the approval of the Ministry of Industry and Minerals as an effective legal basis. The approval of the Ministry of Industry was received on 6/14/2026 stating that it is not possible to manufacture these stations locally, which gives the Authority the legal powers to follow up on the procedures for bringing in the electrical station.
The statement added that the Authority, while welcoming criticism and media follow-up, expresses its regret for the issuance of statements that included personal characterization and targeting of some of its employees, stressing that its staff perform their duties in accordance with applicable laws and instructions.
The commission affirmed that its doors are open to receive complaints and objections through official channels, calling on investors to adhere to the approved legal procedures, and stressing its continued support for investment projects that contribute to the development of the Iraqi economy. lin