Iraq’s Finance Ministry dismisses salary shortage rumors

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Finance Ministry on Friday denied social media reports claiming salaries for next month will not be available or that the state treasury is empty.

“This information is completely false and did not originate from any official source,” the ministry said in a statement, stressing that “employee and pensioner salaries are secured and are disbursed according to approved procedures and timelines.”

The ministry called on citizens and media to “rely on official sources when obtaining information and not be drawn behind rumors or untrustworthy pages that aim to stir concern and confusion among the public.”

Rumors about salary delays periodically circulate on social media in Iraq, often prompting official denials.

In late January, Mazhar Mohammed Saleh, the prime minister’s financial adviser, told 964media there is no structural problem in the flow of public revenues after a ‘technical’ delay to salary payments. He said public finances in 2026 are being managed under the amended Federal Financial Management Law, which requires securing monthly resources on a priority basis to cover mandatory spending including salaries, pensions and social welfare benefits — obligations totaling nearly 8 trillion Iraqi dinars per month.