Baghdad:Newspapers in Baghdad have highlighted the recent approval of the 2027 federal budget and the ongoing political controversy over the ban on Iranian flights.

According to the National Iraqi News Agency, the 2027 federal budget process has progressed to a critical phase after receiving approval from the Ministerial Council for the Economy and being referred to the Council of Ministers. This move, as reported by Al-Sabah, reflects the executive branch’s determination to adhere to financial processes and deadlines, avoiding potential delays and political interference.

Abdul-Zahra Al-Hindawi, Director of the Prime Minister’s Media Office, emphasized that the early completion of the draft budget demonstrates the government’s commitment to constitutional and legal deadlines. The budget introduces a partial shift to a ‘programs and performance’ approach, aiming to reform public financial management, diversify the economy, and reduce dependency on oil. This shift seeks to enhance expenditure data accuracy and establish performance indicators while maintaining traditional line-item oversight within a broader framework.

On the topic of the Iranian flight ban, Al-Zawraa reported that Sheikh Humam Hamoudi, head of the Supreme Islamic Council, urged the Coordination Framework leaders to convene an emergency meeting. The meeting aims to address Iraq’s involvement in the flight ban and its implications. The Iraqi government is in talks with the United States to seek exemptions for some airports, hoping to resume flights for humanitarian purposes.

Al-Zaman covered a protest in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square against the flight ban measures. Hadi Al-Amiri, Secretary-General of the Badr Organization, criticized the U.S.-imposed blockade on Iran, citing its negative impact on both Iraqi and Iranian interests. Other leaders, like Haider Al-Gharawi of the Ansar Allah Al-Awfiya Movement and Abu Alaa Al-Walaei of the Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigades, echoed this sentiment, opposing Iraq’s participation in the American-imposed blockade.