Kurdistan Regional Government representative in Baghdad delivers letter from Prime Minister Masrour Barzani to Iraqi President regarding ongoing salary payment issues for regional government employees amid federal budget disputes.
Iraqi Presidency Receives Kurdistan’s Salary Resolution Appeal
Fars Isa, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s representative in Baghdad, met with Iraqi President Dr. Latif Rashid to deliver a formal letter from Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani addressing the critical salary payment crisis affecting regional employees.
According to an official statement from the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Baghdad representation office, the meeting took place on Sunday, June 22, 2025. The letter specifically focuses on resolving the ongoing salary payment issues that have left Kurdistan Region employees receiving only four monthly payments so far this year, despite approaching the end of June.
The federal Ministry of Finance has informed the Kurdistan Regional Government that according to Iraq’s three-year budget law, no funds remain allocated for regional employee salaries. This development has created significant financial hardship for thousands of government workers across the Kurdistan Region.
Four-Way Presidential Meeting Addresses Regional Concerns
Iraqi leadership convened a crucial four-way presidential meeting on Sunday evening to discuss the contents of Barzani’s letter alongside broader national and regional security issues. The meeting brought together Iraq’s President, Prime Minister, Parliament Speaker, and Chief Justice at the Baghdad Palace.
The presidential statement confirmed that discussions centered on sending salaries to Kurdistan Region employees, with Iraqi leadership requesting that the Kurdistan Regional Government comply with federal court decisions to enable continued federal salary payments and resolution of other outstanding issues according to constitutional and legal frameworks.
Beyond salary concerns, the four-way leadership meeting addressed recent regional conflicts, particularly condemning attacks on Iran and calling for immediate cessation of hostilities. The leaders expressed concern about targeting Iranian atomic facilities and emphasized adherence to international law.
Parliamentary Elections and Political Preparations
The meeting also covered preparations for upcoming parliamentary elections, with leadership emphasizing the need for clean, transparent elections that reflect Iraqi citizens’ aspirations for proper representation. They stressed supporting the Electoral Commission while ensuring elections proceed according to their designated timeline.
Fars Isa’s delivery of Barzani’s letter represents the latest effort by the Kurdistan Regional Government to resolve the salary crisis through diplomatic channels. Earlier in the week, on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, Prime Minister Barzani chaired a Kurdistan Regional Government cabinet meeting where he addressed the federal government’s salary cuts and announced sending a letter to the Federal Court regarding the illegality and unconstitutionality of cutting Kurdistan Region salaries and financial entitlements.
The Kurdistan Regional Government maintains that the federal Ministry of Finance’s decision to halt salary payments violates constitutional obligations and legal agreements between Baghdad and Erbil. This dispute reflects broader tensions over budget allocations, oil revenues, and administrative authority between the federal government and the Kurdistan Region.
Current expectations suggest a joint statement may be issued following the completion of the four-way presidential meeting, with optimism that the salary crisis could find resolution through continued high-level diplomatic engagement. The Kurdistan24 correspondent in Baghdad reported that all four Iraqi presidencies began their meeting specifically to address Barzani’s letter concerning Kurdistan Region employee salaries alongside broader Iraqi and regional security matters.
