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Abadi: We Will Pay Salaries of Peshmerga, Kurdistan Employees

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. AFP file photo
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. AFP file photo
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Abadi: We Will Pay Salaries of Peshmerga, Kurdistan Employees

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. AFP file photo
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. AFP file photo

Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced on Tuesday that his government plans to pay soon the salaries of Kurdish Peshmerga forces and public servants who are on the payroll of the Kurdistan Regional Government.

“We will soon be able to pay all the salaries of the Peshmerga and the employees of the region,” Abadi said during a press conference.

Meanwhile, the administration of the international Ibrahim Khalil crossing between the Kurdistan Region, Iraq and Turkey denied on Tuesday the deployment of any Iraqi armed units from the Iraqi side of the crossing, adding that conditions there were very normal with no changes in its administration.

Ibrahim Khalil border crossing Security Director Abdul Wahab Mohammed told Asharq Al-Awsat: “The crossing is still under the administration of the Kurdistan Regional Government. There is no presence of any employee from the Iraqi government in the crossing, and there were no changes in the administration.”

He said that Iraqi Army Chief of Staff Othman al-Ghanimi and head of the intelligence had visited the crossing on Tuesday morning on their way to Turkey. He said both men travelled to Turkey to check on the Iraqi soldiers currently present in the Turkish side of the border.

“The passage of the Iraqi military delegation through the Ibrahim Khalil crossing was held in coordination with the Peshmerga forces.

Mohammed also said that the Iraqi flag was always flying at the border crossing next to the flag of the Kurdistan Region.

Earlier, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that the Iraqi central government has been handed over the Habur border gate.

“We will start to put into action another border gate through Tal Afar in the short term, in agreement with the Iraqi government,” Yildirim said.

Tal Afar is located some 40 kilometers west of Mosul.

Separately, the Iraqi cabinet voted Tuesday on a decision to hold the next parliamentary elections next May 15.

“Voting must be electronic, and parties participating in the election must not have armed wings," the government said in a statement.

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Iraqi Foreign Minister: We Have Received Explicit Israeli Threats

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
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Iraqi Foreign Minister: We Have Received Explicit Israeli Threats

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)
Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid addresses the Peace Forum in Duhok (Rudaw Network)

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stated on Friday that Iraq has received explicit threats from Israel, adding that the country’s armed forces have been instructed by the prime minister to prevent any attacks originating from Iraqi territory.

According to the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani directed the armed forces to take action against anyone launching attacks from the country. The foreign minister emphasized that Iraq does not seek war and aims to avoid its dangers, noting that the region is “on fire” and facing “clear threats from Israel.”

The agency also reported that the Iraqi government has requested an emergency meeting of the Arab League Council to address Israeli threats. Iraq’s permanent representative to the Arab League submitted a request for a session at the level of permanent representatives of member states to confront what was described as menaces from the “Zionist entity.”

Earlier, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced that he had sent a message to the president of the UN Security Council urging immediate action against activities of Iran-backed militias in Iraq. Sa’ar asserted that the Iraqi government bears responsibility for any actions occurring within or emanating from its territory.

Meanwhile, Iraqi officials have expressed pessimism about the outcome of the ongoing war in the Middle East. Nevertheless, they emphasized Baghdad’s commitment to supporting efforts to achieve lasting peace and security.

Speaking at the American University Forum in Duhok on Friday, Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani highlighted that the challenges facing Iraq have fundamentally changed since October 7.

He described the current situation in the Middle East as a “second Nakba”, stressing that the challenges stem from the failure of the international system, which he described as “ambiguous.”

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid stated that Iraq would play its role in promoting peace in the Middle East and expressed his full support for efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the Kurdish issue in Türkiye.

Speaking at the Duhok Forum, Rashid said that Iraq and the region are facing circumstances that require all parties to closely monitor the situation and find appropriate solutions to ongoing problems, emphasizing the need for lasting peace and security.

Masoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, called for Iraq to remain neutral in the conflict, saying: “The crises in the region and the scenes of war in Lebanon and Gaza are tragic. We hope this suffering will come to an end.”

“We are all awaiting changes following the US presidential election. All indications suggest that a Trump administration will adopt a different approach compared to President Biden’s policies,” he added.

The Iraqi government has stated that under the Strategic Framework Agreement and security pact with the United States, Washington is responsible for “deterring and responding to any external attacks that threaten Iraq’s internal security.”

According to media reports, the US has informed Baghdad that Israeli military strikes on Iraq are “imminent” unless Baghdad prevents Iran-backed factions from launching attacks against Israel.