Iraq’s Finance Ministry denies claims it approved salary payments for Syrian public sector employees

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Ministry of Finance on Monday denied claims circulating on social media that Finance Minister Taif Sami had approved salary payments for Syrian government employees, calling the reports false and baseless.

The rumors alleged that Sami approved a request from Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani to jointly fund Syrian salaries alongside Qatar, amounting to four trillion Iraqi dinars (approximately $2.82 billion).

In an official statement, the Finance Ministry said, “The Ministry of Finance categorically denies the misleading information and malicious rumors circulating on social media alleging that the Minister of Finance has approved the payment of salaries to Syrians.”

The ministry added, “What has been promoted on suspicious pages has no connection to the truth and is pure lies and fabrications. The ministry’s financial policies are based on professional standards and national interests, and no decisions regarding salaries or external cooperation are made except through official and approved channels.”

Qatar has pledged $29 million per month for an initial three-month period, with the possibility of extension, to support salaries for Syrian civilian public-sector workers. The funding was granted a U.S. sanctions exemption and will be administered through the United Nations Development Programme.