Shafaq News- Baghdad

A liquidity shortage has delayed funding for October salaries for Iraqi public-sector employees, with the Finance Ministry yet to release the necessary allocations, an informed source told Shafaq News on Saturday.

Salary funding remains subject to the completion of financial procedures and official approval, according to the source, who said no date has been set for their release.

Iraq experienced similar delays in September, when ministries had yet to receive salary allocations as the month neared its end, amid declining revenues, limited liquidity, and unresolved financing procedures.

Finance Ministry data showed that Iraq spent 44.627 trillion dinars ($34.09 billion*) on public-sector salaries and social welfare in the first half of 2026, accounting for nearly 82% of total federal expenditure.

* The dollar equivalent reflects the exchange rate before Iraq devalued the dinar on Oct. 7, raising the official selling price of the dollar to 1,520 dinars from 1,320.