Iraq university staff protest salary delays across multiple provinces

BAGHDAD, Iraq — University instructors and staff at several Iraqi institutions held protests on Wednesday over delayed salary payments, with demonstrations reported at universities in Basra, Diyala, Kirkuk, Kufa, Babil and parts of Baghdad. Demonstrators demanded the immediate disbursement of wages and financial entitlements and called for a mechanism to ensure regular monthly payments. Diyala University staff member Sara Said said salaries had historically been paid at the start of each month but had gradually fallen behind schedule in recent months. A colleague, Hamdiye Hamid, said the uncertainty over payment dates had disrupted family budgets and pushed some workers into debt. In Kirkuk, instructor Musab Iyad called for salaries to be paid on their due dates, the release of accumulated entitlements, and the calculation of academic certifications in line with current regulations. The protests come as the Iraqi government has begun disbursing salaries for some ministries and pensioners in recent days, though payments for institutions under the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research have not yet been processed. Finance Minister Falih al-Sari said the fiscal shortfall has disrupted salary payments. No further details on a resolution timeline were immediately available.