Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al‑Sudani chaired the ninth regular session of the Council of Ministers on Tuesday, where the overall situation in the country was discussed, along with the agenda items and the decisions required.
At the start of the session, the Prime Minister addressed recent regional developments and their repercussions, stressing that only the state and its institutions hold the authority to decide matters of war and peace and that the government will firmly oppose any party attempting to drag Iraq into ongoing conflicts while prioritizing the supreme interests of the Iraqi people.
Al‑Sudani reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting Iraq’s sovereignty, airspace, and waters, and to preventing their use in any form within the region’s current conflicts. He emphasized that the Iraqi armed forces, in all their formations, remain committed to their legal duties in protecting public and private property, as well as foreign missions and embassies.
He noted that the government places great importance on Iraq’s relations with its regional and international surroundings, especially as Iraq chairs the Arab Summit and works to coordinate positions that help impose stability, halt military actions, and prevent further causes of violence.
The Prime Minister called for unified messaging among national political forces and for confronting misinformation. He instructed the relevant ministries to ensure food security supplies, maintain essential services, and prevent any attempts to exploit current conditions to manipulate prices.
The Council reviewed several issues and approved authorizing the Ministry of Oil to handle the expected crisis in crude oil and petroleum product exports resulting from the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
The Council also approved the recommendations of the Ministerial Council for the Economy regarding adjustments to fees and charges under the minutes of Diwani Order Committee (87 of 2025) and the formation of a committee to study investment and partnership regulations between centrally funded entities and the private sector. This includes setting guidelines to allow self‑funded entities (other than public companies) to enter partnership contracts limited to management and operation. The study will also cover Baghdad Municipality and provincial municipalities.
Regarding project performance guarantees, the Council amended Decision 873 of 2025 to stop renewing performance bonds for contracts where contractors have outstanding dues equal to or exceeding the bond value, provided contracting entities retain these amounts. Alternatively, the bond may be renewed based on remaining amounts, at the discretion of the contracting entity.
The Council voted to require the participation of the Federal Board of Supreme Audit in committees formed by Diwani orders and in decisions issued by the Ministerial Council for the Economy.
The Council approved holding the 2026 Arab Entrepreneurship Summit in Baghdad in November 2026 and formed a preparatory committee chaired by the Minister of Planning.
On housing, the Council followed up on requirements for the New Sadr City project, approving Baghdad Municipality’s completion of contracting procedures with the National Center for Engineering Consultancy and exempting the project from Cabinet Decision (1128 of 2025). The municipality will contract under the single‑bid method, in accordance with Contract Execution Instructions No. 1 of 2025, while the Ministries of Planning and Finance will provide funding under the Financial Management Law (6 of 2019).
The Council also approved selling part of a designated plot in Najaf to the Iraqi Doctors Syndicate (600 dunams) and to the Pharmacists Syndicate’s local branch (500 dunams) for distribution as residential plots to their members.
Regarding fuel supply for private‑sector factories, the Council approved reinstating fuel allocations for all brick factories for two working months until viable alternatives are found and activating loans under the Central Bank’s initiative to convert brick factories to operate on liquefied gas.
In the field of gas investment, the Council extended the financial closure period for the Bin Omar Gas Investment Project by one year, until January 2027, due to delays in land allocation and to ensure procedural soundness and proper contractual organization.
The Council approved allocating 78 dunams for constructing university buildings for Al‑Hamdaniya University in the Nineveh Plain and 8 dunams for a secondary power station for the Northern Region Electricity Transmission Company.
The Council reviewed several other matters and issued the following decisions:
Transfer all airport dues deposited with the General Company for Air Navigation to the Ministry of Finance on a monthly basis, with the Ministry of Finance funding the Ministry of Transport/Airports Directorate for maintenance purposes.
The Ministry of Oil will continue supplying fuel and oils in specified quantities on a deferred‑payment basis to government institutions, with the Ministry of Finance settling dues directly based on actual consumption in 2025, without exceeding the allocated share.
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Media Office of the Prime Minister
3 March 2026
