[Post 1 of 2] Article: “Plunging Oil Prices Jeopardize Iraq’s Budget: Will the Government Resort to Dollar Revaluation?” Quote: “Iraq is bracing for renewed economic turbulence as oil prices fall below the critical $65 per barrel mark—five dollars short of the benchmark adopted in the country’s federal budget. The slide in global crude markets threatens to erode the very foundation of Iraq’s oil-dependent economy, prompting speculation over potential fiscal and monetary policy shifts…”
[Post 2 of 2] Quote continued: “…The central bank’s hard currency reserves, considered a last line of defense, are unlikely to be tapped under current circumstances. Still, one policy instrument remains within reach—and contentious: the exchange rate. Economic expert Ahmed al-Ansari noted that while Iraq’s reserve fund is generally safeguarded for emergencies, adjusting the value of the Iraqi dinar relative to the U.S. dollar remains a plausible option. “We’re unlikely to see the reserves touched, but a revaluation of the dinar, coupled with domestic borrowing, could help bridge a potential deficit,” al-Ansari explained.”
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