Shafaq News / A government source reported on Friday that the Ministry of Water Resources has prohibited its officials and departments in the provinces from disclosing water reserve statistics due to ongoing negotiations with neighboring countries regarding water quotas.

The source told Shafaq News Agency that the Ministry of Water Resources has circulated instructions to all its departments and officials in the governorates not to reveal any statistics or figures concerning water reserves in dams, lakes, and other storage areas to avoid negative repercussions on negotiations with neighboring countries, especially Turkey, regarding Iraq's water quotas in shared rivers.

The source added that the Iraqi side is engaged in intensive talks with Turkey to increase its water share in the Tigris River following the winter rainy season and flooding to address a significant part of the drought crisis that Iraq has been experiencing for three years.

It is worth noting that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani visited Ankara in March, where he met with the Turkish President and requested Turkey to increase the flow of water in the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

The Turkish President agreed to Iraq's request to increase the release of water from the Tigris, expressing goodwill towards Iraq, as stated in a tweet on his official Twitter account.

The Ministry of Water Resources commented on the "positive measures" resulting from al-Sudani's visit to Turkey in terms of the water issue.