Interior minister orders market price monitoring ahead of Ramadan

BAGHDAD — Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari has directed the General Directorate for Combating Organized Crime to monitor market prices as Ramadan approaches and to take legal measures against violators.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry said Shammari tasked the directorate, under the Federal Intelligence and Investigations Agency, with following up on market prices and deploying special patrols to monitor markets.

The ministry said the patrols will take legal action against those found in violation.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is considered the holiest month in Islam. During Ramadan, Muslims fast every day from dawn to sunset. This means they do not eat food, drink liquids or smoke during daylight hours. The fast is broken each evening with a meal called iftar, and a pre-dawn meal is called suhoor.

Meanwhile, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Trade and Industry already has begun preparations to monitor prices and product quality in local markets ahead of Ramadan, with officials pledging stricter inspections during the month.

The first day of Ramadan has yet to be officially announced, but it is expected to fall on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, pending moon sighting confirmation by relevant religious authorities.