Iraqi finance minister says public sector salaries, farmer and contractor payments delayed

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraq's Finance Minister Atfiyya al-Hakim said financial pressures have caused delays in public sector salaries and in payments owed to farmers and contractors, according to local media reports. The minister said the fiscal difficulties preventing timely disbursement should be made public, and that the delays stem from those constraints rather than administrative inaction. Al-Hakim said the Finance Ministry is working to settle the outstanding payments and described the financial pressures as temporary, adding that steps are being taken to address them. He did not specify a timeline for clearing the arrears. Farmers and contractors, however, say the delays have stretched for months. Many farmers reported they have not yet received payment for this year's produce, while contractors said completed projects remain unpaid, straining the construction sector. The minister's remarks underscore the vulnerability of Iraq's budget, which remains heavily dependent on oil revenues. No further details on the size of the arrears or the government's payment schedule were immediately available.