Senior Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) official and former Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs Hoshyar Zebari on Saturday criticized the decision by the Iraqi Ministry of Finance to cut public salaries sent to the Kurdistan Region.

“What interest does [Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani] and the ruling Coordination Framework have in triggering a crisis over funding the salaries of the region’s employees at this particular time – especially when the country is heading into national elections?,” he wrote on X.

“There may be technical issues, but the decision by the Ministry of Finance is clearly a political and deliberate move against the constitutional region, and it will undoubtedly have consequences.”

ما هي مصلحة السيد السوداني و مصلحة الاطار التنسيقي الحاكم في تفجير أزمة تمويل رواتب موظفي الأقليم في هذا الوقت بالذات؟ و البلد مقبل على انتخابات وطنية؟ ربما هناك مسائل فنية ولكن القرار من وزارة الماليه هو قرار سياسي و مبرمج ضد الأقليم الدستوري بإمتياز، و ستكون له عواقب بلا شك.

— Hoshyar Zebari (@HoshyarZebari) May 31, 2025

The cutting of public salaries comes amid protests in southern Iraq as a result of the lack of electricity and services.

Read More: Kurdish Parties Protest Federal Government’s Salary Decision

On Saturday, dozens of Kurdistani political parties and factions, including the ruling Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and the KDP, in a joint meeting condemned the decision to withhold salaries of public employees.

“All parties agreed that this decision is a political one and goes against the will of the people of Kurdistan as well as the political and legal framework of the Kurdistan Region,” the parties said in a joint statement.

Read More: KDP Warns Baghdad Over Delayed Salary Payments

On Thursday, May 29, the KDP’s Central Committee warned that it will take a firm stance if Baghdad fails to send salaries to the Kurdistan Region before the Islamic Eid al-Adha holiday in early June, an indication they might withdraw from Baghdad if salaries are not sent.