Oil Minister Threats to Resign

Oil minister Ibrahim Bahrul Ulum said he would resign if the government does not kill its new decision to raise oil prices. He asked the government to postpone applying the decision, saying people must be rewarded for participating in the elections and that they should not suffer more by paying more for oil. He asked prime minister Ibrahim al-Ja'afari to moderately increase prices in line with the economic conditions of Iraqis. Thousands of Iraqis demonstrated Monday in different provinces to protest the decision.