Tishwash: Al-Mashhadani hopes that Iraqis will achieve their aspirations for a dignified and prosperous life.
During his congratulations on the Hijri New Year
Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani congratulated Iraqis on Thursday on the occasion of the new Hijri year, wishing them the fulfillment of their aspirations for a dignified and prosperous life.
Al-Mashhadani’s office said:
The Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, Dr. Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani, extends his sincere congratulations and best wishes to our honorable people and to the entire Islamic nation on the occasion of the new Hijri year.
He asks God Almighty to make it a year of goodness, peace, and stability, in which the aspirations of our people for a dignified and prosperous life are fulfilled, and to bring this occasion back to our beloved Iraq while it enjoys glory and progress, and to bring security, peace, and unity to our Islamic nation. link
Tishwash: Iraq chairs the Asia-Pacific group and receives international endorsement
Iraq assumed the presidency of the Asia-Pacific Group for the month of July, and received the group’s support for its candidacy for membership in the Human Rights Council (2026–2028). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that “the monthly meeting of the Asia-Pacific Group was held for the month of June at the United Nations headquarters in New York, during which the group’s countries announced their support and endorsement of the Republic of Iraq’s candidacy for membership in the Human Rights Council for the period 2026–2028.”
He added that “this endorsement is the result of the intensive diplomatic efforts made by the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its permanent missions and embassies around the world, as part of the nomination campaign that reflects Iraq’s firm commitment to the values and principles of human rights.”
The Permanent Representative of the Republic of Iraq to the United Nations, Abbas Kazim Obaid, expressed his “deep thanks and gratitude to the member states of the regional group for their support,” noting that “this endorsement represents an important milestone in the nomination process and adds a double responsibility to the Iraqi delegation ahead of the elections scheduled for the United Nations General Assembly in October 2025.”
In his address to the group, Obaid stressed that “Iraq’s candidacy for membership in the Human Rights Council is based on the national achievements and measures taken by the Iraqi government in the field of promoting human rights, as well as Iraq’s constructive cooperation with relevant UN mechanisms.” During the meeting, the Permanent Representative of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in his capacity as Chair of the Group for the month of June, announced that “Iraq will assume the chairmanship of the Asia-Pacific Group for July 2025, a step that reflects the growing confidence in Iraq’s active role within the UN system.
The handover ceremony took place, and all missions of Member States and regional groups were officially informed.” At the conclusion of the meeting, the Member States of the Group expressed their congratulations to Iraq on assuming the chairmanship of the Group, expressing their confidence in its ability to effectively represent the Group’s interests and priorities. linl
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Tishwash: Government advisor: The ceasefire agreement provided temporary relief to oil markets
The Prime Minister’s financial advisor, Mazhar Mohammed Saleh, confirmed on Thursday that the ceasefire agreement between Iran and the Zionist entity has returned oil markets to a downward trend.
Saleh told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “Following the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Iran and the Zionist entity, which halted threats to close the vital Strait of Hormuz – threats issued within the context of escalation with the Zionist entity – oil markets returned to a downward path and headed towards peace indicators, after a sudden hedging wave that they witnessed at the height of tension.”
He added, “The Strait of Hormuz is strategic, through which approximately 20% of the world’s crude oil passes, in addition to a third of liquefied natural gas supplies destined for international markets under ongoing, long-term contracts.” He noted that “the decision to cease the war has given energy markets a strong positive signal indicating the stability of supply routes, especially in the world’s most important energy corridor.”
“This was directly reflected in Brent crude prices, which are considered a benchmark for oil pricing, as they recorded an immediate drop of more than 5%, equivalent to $3 to $4 per barrel in a single session. This is considered one of the largest daily declines in recent times, which means the end of the threat and the return of balance to the market,” he continued, stressing that “the end of the threats that were threatening the Strait of Hormuz and the return to the language of calm represented a temporary moment of relief for the markets. However, in reality, this relief does not necessarily mean long-term stability, as the fragility of the truce and the possibility of renewed clashes if diplomatic efforts fail, maintain a high level of caution in future forecasts.”
He explained that “the market is now pricing oil and is once again being affected by traditional economic factors: from weak demand, to OPEC+ production policies, to competition between exporting countries from within and outside the organization.”
He pointed out that “public finances in Iraq must adhere to the constants of hedging and financial discipline included in Law No. 13 of 2023 (the three-year budget), which is spending according to the optimal minimum requirements and resorting to domestic borrowing when needed, as permitted by the law and in a way that does not disrupt basic operational and investment expenditures, even with the disappearance of the (strategic oil premium) generated by threats to the Strait of Hormuz.” link
