Thursday, 15 October 2026

Passport issuance and renewal fees rose by 10,000 dinars, from 91,000 to 101,000, across Iraq and the Kurdistan Region on Thursday, according to an unnamed informed source. The source attributed the increase to the dollar’s rising market value under the Interior Ministry’s processing arrangement with a private company. The higher charge follows the government’s 7 October decision to raise the public dollar-selling rate from 1,320 to 1,520 dinars. Trader Ali al-Uqayli said bank transfers could take three days or longer, exposing importers to additional costs. In Baghdad’s Jameela wholesale market, food trader Hamza al-Rudayni said he and many other traders had suspended buying and selling until exchange rates stabilised. He reported losing 25 million Iraqi dinars following the devaluation.

Al-Zaidi pledged that Iraqi territory would not be used for attacks on Saudi Arabia during Wednesday’s talks in Riyadh with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Al-Zaidi also renewed Iraq’s condemnation of the attack on King Khalid International Airport. Iraqi and Saudi officials also held a meeting to strengthen border security. Separately, Iraq’s Transport Ministry said air routes between Iraq and Kuwait reopened at 14:00 Baghdad time Thursday after their suspension over security developments. The operating arrangements were agreed with Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates under International Civil Aviation Organization supervision. Aircraft will follow set routes and altitudes to maintain safe separation. The ministry said implementation would be gradual and monitored for technical or operational problems.

In Al-Sulaymaniyah, a court sentenced People’s Front Party leader and former PUK co-leader Lahur Sheikh Jangi to five years and three months in prison on Thursday. His brother Bolad received three years and six months, while their associate Ribwar Hamid Haji Ghali received two years. The case arose from security forces storming Sheikh Jangi’s residence at the Lalezar Hotel under an arrest warrant in August 2025. Hours of clashes with his guards ended in his arrest alongside his brothers and several associates. Several people were killed, including three security-force members. The defendants pleaded not guilty before another adjournment on 8 October. Sheikh Jangi’s defence team has accused authorities of political pressure and procedural violations.

Kataib Hezbollah’s Hoquq bloc announced a boycott of today’s vote to complete Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s cabinet through Al-Ittijah TV (KH — official). Hoquq MP Miqdad al-Khafaji (KH — parliamentary bloc), who had personally pledged a boycott on Tuesday, rejected additional ministries and government posts as a budget burden. MP Noor Adel criticized new ministries and deputy-prime-minister posts, citing more than 1,000 mud-built and prefabricated schools and urging spending on schools, hospitals and medicines. Sadiqoun lawmaker Safaa al-Jabri (AAH), by contrast, expressed hope that AAH’s deputy-prime-minister candidate Laith al-Khazali would eventually become prime minister. He also reported efforts to remove al-Khazali from U.S. sanctions lists. The cabinet-completion vote is scheduled for later today.

Sadiqoun political-bureau member Mahdi al-Husseini (AAH) called on Wednesday for institutionalizing the PMF and passing its law, speaking on Al-Ahad TV (AAH — official). He said everyone agreed on legislating the law. That followed Sadiqoun general-body member Hakim al-Muhammadawi’s (AAH — Sadiqoun) Tuesday warning of mass demonstrations if the law was not passed. Al-Ain News, however, reported that the Coordination Framework had postponed passing the bill following U.S. envoy Tom Barrack’s visit. The report cited unnamed political sources close to the Framework and government, who said al-Zaidi had briefed Framework leaders on his discussions with Barrack.

Separately, KH security official Abu Mujahid al-Assaf asked on Wednesday whether al-Zaidi would support Iran or remain neutral if the United States and Israel again attacked it through Iraqi airspace. He also asked whether the government would pursue Iraqi youths joining Iran’s defence. He questioned the government’s positions on the U.S. blockade of Iran and Saudi conduct in Yemen. Al-Assaf called for annual days to burn and trample American and Israeli flags. Sabereen News (KH — affiliated) subsequently reported that fighters at defensive berms were burning an American flag in response to his appeal.

iNEWS (KSS — affiliated) on Wednesday headlined a message from adviser Hamid al-Rafiq to Saudi Arabia that its alliances would not help it. His remarks contrasted with al-Zaidi’s assurance that Iraq would not allow attacks on Saudi Arabia from its territory. Reconstruction and Development Coalition member Amir al-Rubaie relayed the territorial assurance on Al-Ahad. During Wednesday’s meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, al-Zaidi renewed Iraq’s condemnation of the attack on King Khalid International Airport. Al-Ahad also said the visit opened the possibility of restarting the Iraqi-Saudi pipeline toward Yanbu.

Separately, al-Khafaji said today that the dollar’s rise had increased passport fees and HEPIQ platform charges. He criticized citizens being made to pay for contracts he described as unfair. A report citing an unnamed informed source put the passport-fee increase at 10,000 dinars, from 91,000 to 101,000, effective today. On Al-Ahad, Sadiqoun MP Riyadh al-Tamimi (AAH) said al-Zaidi had pledged to prevent the dollar exchange rate rising above 158,000 dinars. He also said the parliamentary Finance Committee had advance knowledge of the exchange-rate increase.