Iraqi lawmaker Abd Hamza al-Khafaji stated that the success of the multi-billion-dollar energy agreements signed during Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's recent visit to Washington hinges entirely on rigorous follow-through, while confirming that Kurdistan Region public sector salaries will no longer be weaponized in political disputes between Baghdad and Erbil.

Implementation Imperative for U.S. Energy Accords

Speaking to Channel8, the Council of Representatives member cautioned that major deals in the energy sector risk becoming meaningless without strict adherence to implementation timelines.

Khafaji noted that over the past two decades, Iraq has entered into numerous power and infrastructure agreements with U.S. firms that failed to yield concrete results due to administrative inertia and lack of execution. For the newly signed framework to deliver tangible benefits for the Iraqi public, the administration must ensure these projects avoid past patterns of neglect.

Insulating Public Payrolls From Political Conflict

On fiscal policy, Khafaji reported holding direct consultations with the Iraqi Minister of Finance regarding the draft General Budget Law and the Kurdistan Region's financial entitlements.

The lawmaker confirmed that civil service salaries in the Kurdistan Region have been formally decoupled from political disagreements between the federal government and regional authorities. He emphasized that regional public employees stand on equal footing with state employees across Iraq, making their livelihoods immune to political leverage.

Erbil's Legal Obligations and Revenue Commitments

While affirming parliamentary support for the constitutional rights of citizens in the Kurdistan Region, Khafaji underscored that the central government's release of funds remains tied to legal reciprocity.

To maintain guaranteed payroll disbursements, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) must remain fully committed to transferring its designated non-oil and oil revenues, including border crossing receipts, to the federal treasury in Baghdad.