Sunday Iraq News Posted by Tishwash at TNT 8—9-2026
TNT:
Tishwash: The salary crisis is under discussion in parliament; the finance minister is exploring ways to address the economic situation.
MP Ahmed al-Khazali revealed on Saturday that Finance Minister Faleh al-Sari will be present at the Finance Committee meeting to discuss the repercussions of the economic crisis facing Iraq and to find solutions to the salary payment problem.
Al-Khazali told the Information Agency, "Finance Minister Faleh al-Sari's attendance, scheduled for tomorrow, Sunday, will be at the Finance Committee meeting to discuss the economic problems and repercussions, including the salary payment crisis, in order to find radical solutions to this problem."
He explained that the parliamentary finance committee will submit a report to the Speaker of Parliament on the content of this meeting so that the issue can be raised for discussion within the parliament.
He added, "Parliament and the Finance Minister are trying to find sound solutions to this crisis by ensuring that salaries are paid on time." link
Tishwash: Iraqis' salaries are at stake: Will millions lose patience before the state treasury runs out?
August 7, 2026
Baghdad/Al-Masalla: Public finances in Iraq have entered an unprecedented testing phase with escalating fears that the government will be unable to secure the salaries of more than five million employees and retirees monthly, at a time when monthly financial obligations exceed eight trillion dinars while the assets of the public treasury do not exceed two trillion, according to official sources and field monitoring.
This came after repeated setbacks in the disbursement of last month's dues and a sharp decline in oil revenues due to disruptions in exports through the Gulf, prompting the Prime Minister's financial advisor, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, to emphasize that what Baghdad is going through is a temporary hardship and not bankruptcy, indicating the possibility of resorting to external borrowing, pre-export financing, and the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to overcome the stage.
In contrast, economic experts warned that the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz could lead to a gradual collapse in revenues, affecting support for the provinces and investment spending, and raising the level of inflation, given the country's almost complete dependence on imports of food and medicine.
The University of Babylon witnessed protests by professors and employees who denounced the delay in salaries, while the movements extended to Kirkuk and Basra with the introduction of controversial proposals such as printing currency despite warnings of an inflationary explosion.
In the space of the X platform, activists expressed widespread anger, with one of them considering the announcement of salary delays after two decades of oil billions as evidence of failure in state management, while others saw the solution as lying in economic rapprochement with the Gulf states instead of isolation.
Between government assurances, expert warnings, and rising public anger, the fate of millions of salaries remains dependent on the course of the Hormuz crisis and Baghdad’s ability to open alternative export outlets before reserves run out.
************
Tishwash: MP proposes digital dinar to fix Iraq's cash shortage
MP Saad al-Awadi, deputy head of the National Approach parliamentary bloc, proposed on Friday a plan to secure salary payments for state employees and retirees through a "digital dinar" and end Iraq's ongoing cash crisis.
In a statement, al-Awadi said the initiative represents “a comprehensive economic plan to address the liquidity crisis and ensure stable salary disbursement through the launch of a digital Iraqi dinar,” easing access to financial entitlements for employees without requiring paper cash transactions.
The plan aims directly to shield employees from the effects of salary delays and liquidity bottlenecks at banks and disbursement outlets, he explained, by depositing salaries as encrypted, protected digital currency into designated financial wallets, allowing citizens to immediately use their salaries for purchases and electronic payments without waiting for cash to become available.
“The current cash bottleneck does not stem from a lack of resources but from paper currency being withheld and hoarded outside the banking system at record rates,” al-Awadi stressed, adding that reliance on a central bank-issued digital dinar would eliminate salary delays, reduce the operational costs of printing and transporting cash, and protect citizens' purchasing power without resorting to domestic borrowing policies.
His proposed roadmap also includes requiring service and commercial sectors to accept digital transactions, along with incentive packages and government guarantees to restore confidence in the banking sector.
Al-Awadi called on the government, the Central Bank, and the relevant parliamentary committees to hold an urgent joint session to establish the legislative and technical frameworks needed to implement the project.
Iraq still lacks official digital payment platforms or electronic trading systems, and globally circulated cryptocurrencies, most notably Bitcoin, the most widely used, remain unadopted in practice for buying, selling, and cash transactions in the country. link
************
Tishwash: Asiacell signs an agreement with Apple and becomes the main partner in providing iPhones in Iraq.
Asiacell has signed a direct agreement with Apple to provide iPhones in Asiacell stores throughout Iraq – “original devices, official warranty, and the network that supports them, all in one place,” according to a statement from the company received by Al-Mirbad. link
Tishwash: 80% of money is outside banks... Former MP calls for a new strategy to attract hoarded funds
Former MP Abbas Sarout confirmed on Thursday that 80% of Iraqi money is hoarded in homes, away from banks, noting the need to reconsider the strategy for attracting funds to the banking system.
Sarout explained to Al-Maalouma that "Iraq is suffering from a liquidity crisis that has begun to affect salary distribution, given that 80% of the money is hoarded outside banks. This requires serious attention to adopt a strategy that creates incentives to encourage citizens from all walks of life to deposit their money in banks and adopt electronic payment methods, a strategy used in most countries worldwide."
He added that "this mechanism ensures the government's ability to distribute salaries, grant loans and advances, and conduct financial transactions," pointing out that "the majority of financial transactions in Iraq still rely on traditional methods, and this has many drawbacks."
He stressed "the necessity of citizens having confidence to deposit their money in banks, as this will create balance, sustain the flow of funds, and foster greater flexibility, particularly in ensuring the financial capacity to meet obligations." link
************
President Al-Zidi chairs the second session of the Supreme Council for Financial and Monetary Stability: Improving the management of non-oil resources and providing liquidity
Prime Minister Ali Faleh Al-Zaidi chaired the second session of the Supreme Council for Financial and Monetary Stability on Saturday, in the presence of the heads and directors of the relevant authorities and institutions.
The Prime Minister’s Media Office stated in a statement that the session witnessed the discussion of a number of files and issues related to the financial, monetary and economic conditions in the country, in addition to discussing current indicators and challenges and ways to enhance coordination and integration between the financial and monetary policies in a way that supports financial and economic stability.
The statement added that the council discussed mechanisms to improve the management of non-oil resources and provide liquidity, and to support economic and banking reform paths, as well as to enhance the efficiency of the financial system in a way that contributes to consolidating stability and creating a more sustainable economic environment.
Al-Zaydi stressed the importance of continuing coordination and joint work between the relevant ministries and institutions, following up on the implementation of the decisions and recommendations issued by the Council, and adopting practical solutions to the financial and monetary challenges in a way that preserves economic stability and enhances the ability of the national economy to cope with changes, as well as stimulating economic activities, especially non-oil ones. link