Iraq salary delays deepen as analysts warn of fiscal strain on public payroll

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Delays in salary payments have moved beyond short-term technical glitches, drawing fresh attention to the Iraqi government's ability to meet one of its core obligations to public sector employees. Recent analyses point to a deepening liquidity squeeze in the treasury and suggest that civil servants are now receiving wages roughly every 40 days, a marked departure from the monthly schedule. Among the scenarios under discussion are extraordinary measures such as the sale of state-owned palaces and government buildings and a return to printing currency. Iraqi officials say work is underway to identify alternative financing sources to close the budget gap. The Finance Ministry has maintained that the delays are temporary and that salaries will reach their recipients as soon as possible. The issue has also been raised in Iraq's Parliament, where lawmakers have called on the government to present an urgent action plan. No further details on the proposed measures or their timing were immediately available.