The Daily Digest

The State Administration Coalition, the ruling bloc's coordinating body, met in Baghdad on Wednesday evening with Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani in attendance and affirmed adherence to the deadline for restricting arms to the state, and said in the same meeting that Iraqi territory must not be used to attack neighbouring states. Barzani, who met Prime Minister al-Zaydi on the margins to discuss Erbil-Baghdad ties and Iraq's challenges, put Erbil's support behind the prime minister's arms-restriction and security push. Al Jazeera reports Shia armed groups defying the disarmament demand, and Asharq al-Awsat reports the government's own allies retreating on arms control and the anti-graft drive. National security adviser al-Numan said there is no evidence the attacks on neighbours were launched from Iraqi territory, while Shafaq News reported that the factions grouped as the Iraqi Resistance have yet to decide on a response to the US-Saudi air strikes.

Asaib Ahl al-Haq's official channel Al-Ahad TV carried a Sadiqoun General Council member on Wednesday evening accusing Popular Mobilization Forces chairman Faleh al-Fayyad of learning the date of the strike on the PMF three hours ahead from the prime minister and notifying the PMF in Nineveh only after it happened, with nothing from al-Fayyad's office in hand. The same speaker said the statement issued in response to Saudi Arabia does not represent all of the Coordination Framework of Resistance; the channel-by-channel account is in the Militia Digest published beside this briefing.

Still on the security file, an Iraqi security delegation is travelling to Saudi Arabia, and lawmaker Mithal al-Alusi urged Saudi investment ahead of that visit. Washington lifted its sanctions on Fly Baghdad, an airline Al-Monitor notes it had designated over links to Iran's IRGC.

On the economy, the government has ordered ministries and departments to halve spending from Sunday, while parliament moves to address the worsening deficit and pushes for an emergency session on the financial crisis and delayed salaries. Staff at Iraqi universities protested the salary delays, and members of parliament are scrutinising Karbala Refinery contracts under the government's anti-corruption drive — the same drive Asharq al-Awsat reports coalition allies pulling back from.

Also on the economy, Baghdad has revived Basra-Aqaba pipeline talks with Jordan and Egypt, the three states agreeing to boost cooperation in energy, investment and regional stability, and the oil ministry is studying a pipeline network to Turkey, Syria and Jordan, while Iraq Oil Report says the Turkey pipeline deal sets a challenging target for Iraqi export volumes. Shafaq News separately reports that Iraq's small tanker fleet costs it millions in shipping revenue.

In the north, Amwaj reports Iran claiming ground raids into Iraqi Kurdistan after what it called a PJAK drone strike, a cross-border claim landing while the State Administration Coalition insists Iraqi soil must not be used against neighbours. Kirkuk's Kurdish parties, meanwhile, have left the door open to a unified bloc, and Christian representatives have urged the prime minister to halt land distribution in Nineveh — two files on identity and territory running under the security crisis.

THINGS TO WATCH

Ministries operate under the halved-spending order from Sundayhigh likelihoodhigh impact964 Media reported the order takes effect across ministries and departments from Sunday, so either implementation or a rescinding decision becomes visible almost immediately.

Parliament actually convenes the emergency session on the financial crisis and delayed salariesmedium likelihoodhigh impactKurdistan24 reports parliament pushing for an emergency sitting, a diary event that either is held with a quorum or fails to be.

The Iraqi security delegation's Saudi visit yields a joint readoutmedium likelihoodmedium impactIraqi News reported the delegation is travelling to Saudi Arabia; a statement from either capital would show whether the repair track carries substance beyond the trip itself.

An armed formation or a Coordination Framework of Resistance component publicly accepts the arms-restriction deadline the coalition reaffirmedlow likelihoodhigh impactThe State Administration Coalition affirmed adherence to the deadline while Al Jazeera reports Shia armed groups defying disarmament, so any faction stating acceptance would mark which way the split is moving.

Iraq and Iran trade further statements on the claimed raids into Iraqi Kurdistanmedium likelihoodmedium impactAmwaj reports Tehran claiming ground raids into Iraqi Kurdistan, a claim Baghdad's own position on cross-border use of its soil makes hard to leave unanswered.