KRG Prime Minister Welcomes USKBC Delegation as Kurdistan Deepens Business Ties with American Investors
Meeting highlights investment reforms, sectoral opportunities, and the Kurdistan Region’s expanding role as a secure hub for U.S. capital.
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Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani on Sunday received a delegation from the U.S.-Kurdistan Business Council (USKBC), led by its President David Tafuri, as the autonomous region continues to position itself as one of the Middle East’s most open and secure environments for American and diaspora investment.
The meeting was held as the Kurdistan Region deepens economic engagement with U.S. companies, driven in part by its foreign-investor-friendly legal framework and an expanding strategy to attract diaspora capital—especially from Assyrian, Chaldean, and Syriac communities seeking to rebuild commercial and cultural links with their ancestral homeland.
At the start of the meeting, Tafuri congratulated Prime Minister Barzani on the outcome of Iraq’s recent parliamentary elections and outlined the purpose of the delegation’s visit, stressing the Council’s commitment to expanding American commercial partnerships across the Kurdistan Region.
He also briefed KRG officials on the composition of the visiting delegation, which includes U.S. business leaders, legal experts, and investors exploring opportunities in key economic sectors.
Prime Minister Barzani provided an overview of recent political developments in both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, underscoring the KRG’s institutional reforms and improved governance under the ninth cabinet.
He highlighted major advancements in the energy sector—particularly natural gas development—as well as ongoing measures to modernize the region’s economic infrastructure and regulatory environment.
Barzani reiterated the government’s strong commitment to enabling and expanding the presence of American companies in the Kurdistan Region.
The visit follows a larger U.S. and Assyrian-American economic outreach effort to the Kurdistan Region, where diaspora entrepreneurs have been examining long-term opportunities supported by Investment Law No. 4 of 2006.
The law allows 100 percent foreign ownership, long-term land use rights, significant tax exemptions, and full repatriation of profits—legal advantages unmatched elsewhere in Iraq, where federal regulations require majority local ownership.
These policies have created renewed momentum for Assyrian diaspora investment, as communities seek sustainable ways to preserve their heritage while fostering economic resilience in historic areas like Ankawa, Alqosh, Amedi, and the broader Nineveh Plains.
During recent meetings with senior KRG officials, including PM Barzani and Board of Investment Chairman Mohammad Shukri, U.S.-based Assyrian investors discussed a range of potential ventures in education, healthcare, agriculture, tourism, and cultural preservation.
On Saturday evening, Board of Investment spokesperson Bargasht Akrayee confirmed that Tafuri’s delegation would meet with top KRG officials, investors, and business leaders across the region to explore joint projects. The USKBC—an influential Washington-based organization—has long played a key role in promoting U.S.-Kurdistan economic ties, frequently organizing visits for American businesses seeking to enter the Kurdish market.
The Kurdistan Region’s comparative stability, legal predictability, and investor-friendly climate have gained growing attention among U.S. business circles. For diaspora groups—particularly Assyrians—the region offers a rare opportunity to build commercial ventures with full ownership, legal protections under international arbitration standards, and a political environment supportive of minority rights.
“This is a historic moment for Assyrians who wish to invest in their homeland,” said Alexander Karana, an American attorney who accompanied the recent delegation, in an analysis published by Global Strat View.
Karana emphasized that the Kurdistan Region’s investment laws allow diaspora communities to participate in economic growth “with dignity, security, and purpose,” reinforcing both cultural identity and long-term communal stability.
As Prime Minister Barzani continues to encourage foreign and diaspora investment, the meeting with the USKBC delegation signals a broader KRG strategy: leveraging international partnerships, nurturing minority-led economic initiatives, and transforming the Kurdistan Region into a regional hub for sustainable, diversified, and globally connected development.
A US report reminds Iraqi politicians of the taboos in forming the new government.
A US report on Sunday reminded that the main challenge in Iraq is preventing it from falling into the crosshairs of President Donald Trump’s administration, should Iranian-backed parties be allowed to enter and pursue Tehran’s economic interests through them .
The report issued by the American "Foundation for Defense of Democracies" stated that the end of the voting does not mean that there will be a new government anytime soon .
According to the report translated by Shafaq News Agency, the election results did not lead to shocking conclusions, but they also did not result in a clear victory. Although the Reconstruction and Development list led by Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani won more than 1.3 million votes, or about 11% of the total, this is not enough for him to rule alone .
The report argues that the challenge facing political leaders in power-sharing negotiations to form the new government will be "forming a coalition that does not make concessions on governmental and economic interests to Iran, because that could put Iraq in the crosshairs of the Trump administration ."
The report noted that "the Shiite parties obtaining about 187 seats in the House of Representatives represents a comfortable margin above the 165 seats required for a majority, despite the absence of Muqtada al-Sadr's movement ."
Following the Sudanese bloc, among the Shiite forces and figures, came the parties of former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Qais al-Khazali, whom Washington designated as a "terrorist," and the leader of the Badr Organization, Hadi al-Amiri, as the report indicated that the three are "closely allied with Iran ."
The report also drew attention to the Kurdish context of the elections, noting that "the Kurdistan Democratic Party, which received about one million votes, decisively defeated its rival, the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, which received nearly half of this electoral support ."
According to the same report, "The Shiite coalition that led the last government, i.e. the Coordination Framework, is currently divided despite the strong numbers of the Shiite parties, indicating that the leaders of the Framework are considering the idea of an electoral alliance that excludes the Sudanese party, which is betting on gaining a second government term, while leaders in the Framework are concerned that this may enhance its power and authority ."
The report noted that many in the Shiite forces disagreed with al-Sudani about the "balance approach" he follows between Tehran and Washington, and recalled what Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said recently about the Trump administration informing Iraqi officials that six militias supported by Tehran, designated by the US as terrorist organizations, cannot be part of the new government .
The report continued, "Al-Khazali's political party, which is formally separate from the Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq militias, is included in this ban ."
For this reason, the American report says, if "Washington sticks to this demand, the Shiites will have difficulty forming a government without al-Sudani ."
According to the report, Iranian-backed politicians sought to obtain important positions in previous governments in order to "strengthen their influence and access Iraq's resources to enrich themselves, their militias, and Iran ."
The report concluded by calling on the United States to define clear consequences to ensure that there is no place for "Tehran's proxies" in the Iraqi government, adding that their presence in the government means "the Trump administration will have little chance of disarming the militias ."
The report concluded that Washington must also convey to officials in Baghdad the message that negotiations to form a government should not include financial or economic gains for Iran or its partners as "compensation" for complying with the American embargo .
According to the report, the Sudanese were assigned to the premiership in 2022, partly because of his willingness to establish a company affiliated with Iranian-backed militias to receive government contracts, referring to "Al-Muhandis Company," noting that the United States, through the Treasury Department, has since imposed sanctions on this company .
He added that Washington must now use its influence to ensure that the negotiations do not lead to further economic agreements like these .
Forming the largest bloc: Outcomes of the coordination framework meeting attended by Sudanese representatives
The Coordination Framework announced today, Monday (November 17, 2025), that it held its regular meeting, with all its leaders present, at the office of former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, stressing that the success of the electoral process represents a fundamental step towards consolidating political stability in the country.
The framework said in a statement received by "Baghdad Today" that "the meeting opened with congratulating the Iraqi people and political forces on the success of the elections," stressing that "national cooperation is the basic pillar for getting through the next stage."
The framework stressed the importance of resolving electoral entitlements within the constitutional deadlines, considering that “adherence to these timelines represents a guarantee for an organized constitutional transition and respect for the will of the voters.”
He added that "his political forces signed on to consider him the largest parliamentary bloc composed of all his entities, and accordingly the framework began the procedures for nominating the prime minister for the next stage in accordance with the constitutional frameworks."
The framework indicated that it "decided to form two leadership committees, the first concerned with discussing the upcoming national entitlements and developing a unified vision for managing the state, while the second committee will interview candidates for the premiership according to professional and national standards."
According to the statement, "The meeting discussed extensively the criteria required for selecting the Prime Minister, in addition to the features of the expected government program, in line with the political, economic and service challenges, and in a way that meets the aspirations of citizens towards reform, stability and development."
Iraqi Court ends parliament's term; transforms government into caretaker government
The Supreme Federal Court issued a decision today, Monday, ending the term of the current Council of Representatives and transforming the government into a caretaker government with limited powers, while the President of the Republic continues to perform his constitutional duties normally.
The court stated in a document that "the day of the general election for the new Council of Representatives means the end of the Council of Representatives' term and its authority to legislate and oversee the performance of the executive branch in practice, and the transformation of the Council of Ministers' powers from full authority to limited authority to manage daily affairs, represented by taking decisions and actions that cannot be postponed."
On November 9th and 11th, Iraq held both special and general elections for the sixth parliamentary term, as part of a democratic process in the political system established after 2003 by the overthrow of the former Ba'ath regime at the hands of the United States and its allies.
"At the last minute": A legal comment on calls for "extraordinary sessions"
On Monday, legal and constitutional expert Salem Hawas commented on calls to hold extraordinary sessions of the Iraqi parliament days before its constitutional term ends.
Hawas told Shafaq News Agency that "the calls made in the last days of the parliamentary term to hold emergency or extraordinary sessions do not change the deteriorating legislative reality over the past four years, and the lost time cannot be suddenly remedied a few weeks before the end of the parliament's term."
He explained that “the Iraqi Constitution, in Article (58/First), allows the Speaker of Parliament or fifty members of parliament to call for an extraordinary session dedicated to a specific topic. However, this text should not be used as a cover to pass laws that have been stalled for four years, and then to suggest that Parliament is fulfilling its duties at the last minute.”
He added that "real legislative work is measured by adherence to constitutional deadlines and the principle of legislative continuity, not by intensifying sessions in a few weeks to complete what has accumulated in shortcomings. The laws that have been discussed since the first day of the parliamentary session have not seen the light, despite their importance and sensitivity, including laws on compensating victims, the Popular Mobilization Forces, drugs, the various amendments to the service and salary scale, minors, civil defense, and others."
He added that “intensifying the calls now does not absolve the House of Representatives of its political and constitutional responsibility for the delay, nor does it grant full legitimacy to pass complex legislation without sufficient discussions or technical consultations. The House of Representatives must exercise its legislative and oversight role fully and regularly throughout the years of the session, not just in its final weeks.”
The legal and constitutional expert concluded by saying that "the constitution does not recognize the term 'wasted time,' but it does recognize the principle of the proper functioning of public facilities, which has not been achieved in legislative performance during the past years. Extraordinary sessions are a constitutional right, but they are not a substitute for a genuine commitment to legislative duty, and they should not turn into a cosmetic attempt in the last days of the parliament's term."
Earlier today, Mohammed al-Khafaji, a member of the Legal Committee in the Iraqi Parliament, called on the Speaker of Parliament to hold extraordinary sessions to finalize some important laws before the end of the current parliamentary session.
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An expert is "not optimistic" as the government transitions to a caretaker role: Iraq may face a liquidity shortage this month.
Economic expert Nabil Al-Marsoumi warned on Monday, November 17, 2025, of a financial problem that Iraq may face this month, with the government of Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani becoming a caretaker government.
In this context: The government increases spending and repeatedly borrows to cover the deficit... What are the reasons for the rise in Iraq's internal debt?
Al-Marsoumi said in a post followed by “Al-Jabal”, “If the ability to borrow internally and externally is not among the tasks of the caretaker government, then Iraq will face a financial problem starting from this month.”
He explained that "the problem is related to the lack of liquidity to cover the most important public expenses for the Iraqi citizen."
The Iraqi Federal Supreme Court decided to end the work of the current parliament and transform the government into a caretaker government, after the elections for the sixth parliamentary session were held last week.
Earlier today, the court ended the work of the country’s fifth parliament and federal government, while preserving the powers of President Abdul Latif Rashid to continue exercising his constitutional duties.
The court stated that "within the concept of conducting daily affairs, outside these constitutional periods, there is no basis in the constitution and the law, and its effects are considered null and void; because when the voter gave his vote to the one he chose as his representative in the House of Representatives, he gave him a specific mandate in terms of duration, and this mandate ends with the end of its term allocated in the constitution, which is four calendar years. In conclusion, the Supreme Federal Court finds that the day of the general election to elect the new House of Representatives means the end of the term of the previous House of Representatives and the end of its authority to enact laws and to oversee the performance of the executive authority in practice, and the transformation of the powers of the Council of Ministers from full authority to limited authority to conduct daily affairs, represented by taking decisions and procedures that cannot be postponed, which would ensure the continued operation of state institutions and public facilities regularly."
She added that "these decisions and procedures do not include signing international treaties and agreements and concluding contracts that have an impact on the political, economic and social aspects of the country, nor do they include proposing draft laws, contracting loans, appointing or dismissing individuals from senior positions in the state, or restructuring ministries and departments."
As for the President of the Republic, as one of the two branches of the executive authority, the court said that he “continues to exercise his duties until after the end of the elections of the new House of Representatives and its meeting in accordance with the provisions of Clause (Second/B) of Article (72) of the Constitution of the Republic of Iraq of 2005.”
The decision was issued by agreement, "final and binding on all authorities, based on the provisions of Articles (93/Second and 94) of the Constitution of the Republic of Iraq of 2005 and Article (4/Second and 5/Second) of the Federal Supreme Court Law No. (30) of 2005 as amended, and was issued on 25 Jumada al-Ula/1447 AH corresponding to 17/11/2025 AD," according to the judicial statement.
In this regard, Salem Hawas Al-Saadi, an expert in legal and constitutional affairs, commented on the Federal Court’s decision to end the work of Parliament and transform the government into a caretaker government.
Al-Saadi told Al-Jabal that “the Iraqi government has entered, as of the special voting day 11/9/2025, the stage of carrying out daily business and tasks, after the start of the electoral process,” stressing that “both the House of Representatives and the federal government have had their constitutional and legal powers terminated with the end of the specified electoral period.”
He explained that "the Iraqi constitution and the internal regulations of the Council of Ministers have specified the cases in which the status of 'caretaker government' is imposed," indicating that the most prominent of these cases are three:
The first case: When the House of Representatives is dissolved based on the provisions of Article (64/Second) of the Constitution, the government in this case is considered resigned and continues to conduct daily business until new elections are held and an alternative government is formed.
The second case: When confidence is withdrawn from the government as a whole, according to Article (62/Eighth/D), the government is considered resigned in the person of its head and ministers, and it continues to run business for a period not exceeding thirty days until the formation of the new government.
The third case: When the government resigns or its electoral term ends, constitutional jurisprudence holds that the government in this case is considered to have resigned and enters a caretaker phase until a new government officially assumes its duties.
The legal and constitutional expert added that "the current stage is limited to the government's powers to manage the daily affairs of the state without making major strategic or legislative decisions, in compliance with the principle of the peaceful transfer of power, and in respect for the requirements of the constitution and the law."
According to the legal expert, managing daily affairs also means taking decisions and actions that cannot be postponed, which would ensure the continued and regular operation of state institutions and public facilities. This does not include, for example, proposing draft laws, contracting loans, appointing and dismissing senior officials in the state, or restructuring ministries and departments.
Major Iraqi blocs push for rapid government formation
On Sunday, State of Law leader Nouri al-Maliki and Taqaddum chief Mohammad al-Halbousi stressed the need to form a government capable of “meeting citizens’ demands.”
According to a brief statement from State of Law, al-Maliki received al-Halbousi in Baghdad, where the two agreed on the urgency of moving forward with forming this government.
In the recent vote, al-Maliki’s State of Law won 30 seats within the Shiite Coordination Framework, while al-Halbousi’s Taqaddum emerged as the leading Sunni party after placing second nationwide, with 33 seats.
The elections, held on November 11 with turnout at 56.11%, produced no clear majority, leaving the formation of the next government to negotiations among the major blocs.
Iraq’s political system is based on power-sharing, with the prime minister traditionally drawn from the Shia community, the parliament speaker from the Sunni community, and the president from the Kurdish community.
The coordinating framework signs off on being considered the largest parliamentary bloc and proceeding with the nomination of a prime minister.
A statement issued by the media office of the framework, a copy of which was received by Al-Furat News, stated that "the Coordination Framework held its regular meeting today, Monday, with the attendance of all its leaders at Haider al-Abadi's office, where the meeting began by extending congratulations to the Iraqi people and all political forces on the success of the electoral process, stressing that comprehensive national cooperation is the basis for passing through the next stage and consolidating political stability."
The Coordination Framework, according to the statement, stressed "the importance of resolving electoral entitlements within the constitutional deadlines and in accordance with the approved legal contexts, emphasizing that adherence to constitutional timelines represents a guarantee for an organized constitutional transition that respects the will of the voters."
In this regard, the framework was signed as the largest parliamentary bloc, which consists of all its entities according to constitutional procedures, and proceeded to nominate the Prime Minister for the next stage.
In the context of organizing the upcoming entitlements, the framework decided to form two leadership committees: the first is concerned with discussing the national entitlements for the next stage and developing a unified vision for the requirements of state administration, and the second is responsible for interviewing candidates for the position of Prime Minister according to professional and national standards.
The meeting also discussed at length the criteria adopted for selecting the Prime Minister, in addition to the nature of the required government program in line with the political, economic and service challenges facing Iraq, and in a way that fulfills the citizens’ aspirations for reform, stability and development.
Talabani calls for expediting the enactment of the oil and gas law.
On Monday in Erbil, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, Qubad Talabani, received a delegation from the US-Kurdistan Trade Council, headed by its president, David Tvorey. The two sides discussed a number of issues of common interest.
During the meeting, discussions focused on the mechanism for developing trade relations between the United States and the Kurdistan Region. With reference to the economic development process in the region, Qubad Talabani emphasized that “the Kurdistan Region desires that American companies have a larger and more influential role in this process, and expressed the readiness of the regional government to provide all forms of support and facilities in this regard.”
Another focus of the meeting was the oil and gas file, and the Deputy Prime Minister explained, “We are in favor of quickly passing the oil and gas law during the new session of the Iraqi Parliament, which will contribute to resolving the disputes between the region and Baghdad in accordance with the constitution and powers, and in a way that takes into account the special status of the Kurdistan Region.”
Talabani also stressed that “our priority is that the gas wealth should be used to serve the citizens and develop the industrial and economic infrastructure of the Kurdistan Region.”
Sudanese man arrives at Mosul airport
Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani arrived today, Tuesday (November 18, 2025), at Mosul Airport, where he is heading to participate in the Peace and Security Forum in Dohuk.
The Prime Minister’s Media Office stated in a statement received by “Baghdad Today” that “Al-Sudani arrived at Mosul Airport, from where he will head to participate in the Middle East Peace and Security Forum/MEPS 2025, which is organized by the American University in the city of Duhok in the Kurdistan Region.”
The Kurdistan Regional Government announced on Monday (November 17, 2025) the launch of the "Peace and Security in the Middle East - MEPS 2025" forum on Tuesday morning at the American University in Duhok, under the slogan "Managed Chaos: A New Middle East".
Iran Launches Emergency Cloud Seeding as Historic Drought Pushes Tehran Toward Water Cuts and Evacuation Fears
With rainfall at its lowest in a century and reservoirs nearing depletion, officials warn that Iran’s deepening water crisis threatens both domestic stability and regional influence
Iran is confronting its most severe drought in decades, prompting authorities to launch emergency cloud-seeding operations and prepare for unprecedented water rationing in Tehran and other major cities. Officials warn that without substantial rainfall before winter, the capital itself could face partial evacuation — a scenario that underscores the gravity of the deepening environmental crisis.
State media reported that the first cloud-seeding flight of the current water year was conducted over the Urmia Lake basin in Iran’s northwest on Saturday. Lake Urmia, once the Middle East’s largest saltwater lake, has shrunk dramatically in recent years, leaving behind a vast salt plain due to prolonged drought and mismanagement.
According to IRNA, further cloud-seeding missions are planned for East and West Azerbaijan provinces. The practice involves dispersing particles such as silver iodide or salt into clouds to stimulate rainfall — a technique also used by the United Arab Emirates and other states in the region.
Videos aired by local outlets on Sunday showed heavy rain and limited flooding in some western and northwestern regions, though it remains unclear whether the cloud-seeding operations were responsible.
IRNA reported rainfall in Ilam, Kermanshah, Kurdistan, Lorestan, and West Azerbaijan, even as the country’s meteorological organization warned that precipitation has fallen 89 percent below long-term averages.
“We are currently experiencing the driest autumn the country has experienced in 50 years,” the agency said.
The drought’s effects are most visible in Tehran, where rainfall levels have collapsed to their lowest point in a century. Snow appeared for the first time this year on the Tochal mountain near the capital, but it brought no significant relief.
Half of Iran’s provinces have gone months without a single drop of rain, and reservoirs supplying the capital are nearing exhaustion.
In an alarming public address earlier this month, President Masoud Pezeshkian cautioned that Tehran might have to be “evacuated” if no meaningful precipitation arrives. He gave no details about how a city of more than 10 million people could be moved, but officials have already confirmed that periodic water cuts in the capital are imminent.
“This will help avoid waste even though it may cause inconvenience,” Energy Minister Abbas Ali Abadi said on state television, noting that some neighborhoods have begun experiencing overnight shortages.
Tehran’s crisis is compounded by the rapid depletion of the city’s main water sources. The Amir Kabir Dam — one of five major reservoirs serving the capital — contains just 14 million cubic meters of water, down from 86 million at the same time last year. With daily consumption at approximately three million cubic meters, reserves could run dry within two weeks if no new rainfall arrives.
Similar emergency measures are being considered in Isfahan, Tabriz, and Mashhad, where nighttime water cuts are under review.
Experts warn that the drought — intensified by climate change — has been worsened by years of poor planning. Excessive dam construction, inefficient agriculture, and a failure to modernize water management systems have contributed to what environmental analysts describe as a “manmade disaster.” Iran’s long-term water stress, they argue, has now reached a breaking point.
The environmental emergency comes amid an already fragile economic landscape. Iran’s sanctions-stricken economy — weakened by U.S., EU, and UN restrictions targeting its nuclear program and regional activities — is ill-equipped to absorb further shocks.
Industries such as petrochemicals, mining, and steel production, all major water consumers, are facing potential slowdowns that could deepen unemployment and spark new rounds of social unrest. Inflation remains high, and the national currency has lost much of its value in recent years.
Beyond domestic concerns, the crisis risks reshaping Iran’s geopolitical posture. As the government reallocates resources to manage the drought and maintain internal stability, its capacity to support regional allies — including Hezbollah, the Houthis, and militias in Iraq and Gaza — may diminish.
Analysts say this could inadvertently advance the long-standing strategic goals of the United States and Israel, which have sought to curb Iran’s regional influence.
For now, Iranian officials insist that cloud seeding, water rationing, and conservation campaigns can help stabilize supplies until winter rains arrive. But environmental advocates warn that without sweeping reforms, the country is headed toward a deeper and potentially irreversible collapse of its water systems.
With reservoirs dwindling, agriculture shrinking, and urban centers edging toward crisis, Iran’s water emergency is increasingly viewed not just as an environmental disaster but as a national and geopolitical turning point — one that could reshape the country’s trajectory in an already volatile region.
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