TNT:
Tishwash: The Iraqi delegation arrives in Doha to participate in the World Investment Forum 2026
The Iraqi delegation arrived in Doha on Saturday to participate in the World Investment Forum 2026.
The media office of the Minister of Industry and Minerals stated in a statement:
“The Iraqi delegation, headed by the Minister of Industry and Minerals, Mohammed Nouri, arrived in the Qatari capital, Doha, to participate in the ninth session of the World Investment Forum 2026, which is being held in cooperation between the State of Qatar and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), under the theme “Investing in the Future.” link
Tishwash: Removing zeros from the Iraqi dinar: A government move reopens the issue.
The issue of removing zeros from the Iraqi currency has returned to the forefront of economic discussions, following statements by a member of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Riyadh Al-Tamimi, in which he revealed a government trend to remove zeros from the Iraqi dinar or change the currency, in a move that reopens one of the most prominent monetary issues that has remained on the table for years without moving to the stage of comprehensive implementation.
Al-Tamimi said, in a statement carried by local media, that “there is a government trend to remove zeros from the currency or change it,” without revealing a specific timetable or details of the procedures that the concerned authorities may take to implement this trend.
These statements come at a time when the Iraqi economy is facing challenges related to the stability of the dinar exchange rate, the regulation of cash transactions, and the development of the banking system, which raises questions about the nature of the project, its objectives, and the extent of its connection to the financial and monetary reforms that the authorities are seeking to implement.
The project to remove zeros from the currency is a monetary measure aimed at redefining the nominal value of monetary units and simplifying arithmetic and accounting operations, without necessarily meaning an increase in the purchasing power of the dinar or an improvement in its actual value against foreign currencies.
For example, if it is decided to remove three zeros, the sum of one million dinars may become a new thousand dinars, with prices, salaries, deposits and financial obligations being recalculated in the same proportion, so that their real economic value does not change as a result of the conversion alone.
Removing zeros is different from changing the exchange rate; the former relates to renaming monetary units, while the latter is related to the value of the dinar against foreign currencies, which is a fundamental difference in understanding the potential effects of any future decision.
Experts in monetary affairs believe that the success of such a step requires extensive legislative, technical and banking preparations, including updating payment systems, ATMs and accounting software, in addition to organizing the process of replacing banknotes and raising citizens’ awareness of the transfer mechanisms.
The project also requires the establishment of clear controls to protect the rights of depositors, salary earners and retirees, and to prevent the exploitation of the transition period to raise prices or make inaccurate transfers of monetary values.
In the latest official statement, the Director of Media at the Central Bank of Iraq, Haider Ghazi, confirmed on October 19, 2026, that removing zeros requires legal legislation, due to its connection with debts, obligations, and fines stipulated in the applicable laws, explaining that the process, if approved, would be primarily of an accounting nature.
The governor of the Central Bank of Iraq had explained last September that changing the currency falls within the bank’s powers, while removing zeros requires legislation from the House of Representatives, which highlights the difference between the two legal paths between issuing new banknotes and redefining the nominal value of the dinar.
The Central Bank had previously denied, in an official statement dated August 26, 2026, the news regarding the printing of a new Iraqi currency with zeros removed, stressing that any future decision in this regard would be subject to legal, regulatory and technical stages, with a transitional period specified to ensure the protection of the financial rights and obligations of citizens and institutions.
These positions indicate that the debate regarding the future of the Iraqi currency remains open between the option of updating the banknotes in circulation and the option of removing zeros, while no final official decision has been issued that specifies the implementation mechanism or the date for starting the currency replacement.
Thus, MP Riyad Al-Tamimi’s statements gain new importance in bringing the issue back to the parliamentary level, but they do not in themselves mean the approval of the project or the start of its implementation, as the transition from orientations and discussions to actual implementation remains linked to the completion of legislative procedures and the official announcement of details by the competent authorities.
The most prominent question facing Iraqi citizens and markets remains: Will the authorities move towards issuing a new edition of the dinar in its current denominations, or towards restructuring the currency by removing zeros? This is a question whose final answer is still contingent on upcoming official decisions link
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Tishwash: Central Bank: The Prime Minister’s actions contributed to convincing the US Federal Reserve to ensure the smooth flow of dollar cash.
Mahmoud Dagher, advisor to the governor of the Central Bank of Iraq and spokesman for the bank, confirmed on Saturday that increasing shipments of cash dollars to Iraq will contribute to market stability and strengthen the value of the Iraqi dinar. He indicated that each shipment amounts to about half a billion dollars, with expectations of new shipments that may reach a value of one billion dollars.
Dagher said, “Iraq finances its imports mainly through bank transfers and credits that are transferred directly to exporters away from the cash market, while the percentage of cash transactions does not exceed 10%, and is allocated to meet the needs of travelers, scholarship recipients, students and some other purposes.”
He added that “the Prime Minister’s reference to increasing cash dollar shipments came from experience and knowledge of the nature of the Iraqi market, which is characterized by its high sensitivity to the supply of cash dollars,” indicating that “increasing the quantities of cash dollars in the market pushes towards strengthening the value of the Iraqi currency and bringing it closer to its real value at a level of 152,000 dinars per 100 dollars.”
He explained that “this sensitivity is related to the nature of trade dealings with some countries, as well as the importance of providing cash dollars to reassure market participants and holders of foreign currency,” expressing his hope that “the arrival of the new shipments will contribute to achieving stability in the market.”
He pointed out that “increasing the supply of cash dollars through the various means adopted by the Central Bank enhances the state of reassurance in the market, as prices are not determined solely on the basis of actual supply, but are mainly affected by future expectations.”
He added that “the expectation of companies and individuals to continue the flow of cash dollars in larger quantities leads to a decrease in informal demand for dollars outside of banks licensed by the Central Bank, which is reflected positively on the stability of the exchange rate.”
Regarding the size of the cash shipments, Dagher explained that “the value of a single shipment arriving by air to Iraq is close to half a billion dollars, and two shipments have arrived, while previous cash dollar transfers faced difficulties due to the security instability and military operations that the region witnessed.”
He pointed out that “the actions of the Prime Minister and the Central Bank of Iraq contributed to convincing the US Federal Reserve of the importance of ensuring the smooth flow of cash dollar shipments to Iraq, which contributes to reassuring the local market.”
He confirmed that “there is a shipment close to being expected to arrive in Iraq, in addition to the possibility of other shipments with a total value that may reach one billion dollars, equivalent to the cargo of two planes, to meet market demand,” noting that “the continuation of this process is also linked to calming the security and military situation in the region.”
Regarding agreements for the supply of cash dollars, Dagher explained that “the Central Bank of Iraq agrees at the beginning of each year with the US Federal Reserve on the size of its annual needs for cash dollars, which may amount, for example, to 10 to 12 billion dollars, to arrive via one or two shipments at intervals, with the provision of the necessary security conditions for their transport.”
He added that “the Central Bank is simultaneously seeking to expand the use of bank cards in financial transactions, as Iraqis have begun to rely on them more for shopping, paying fees and meeting their various needs in dollars. However, the level of awareness regarding the use of cards is still below the required level, which leads some citizens to prefer cash transactions.”
Dagher noted in his speech that “increasing cash dollar shipments at the current stage is an appropriate step to enhance market stability, and that the continued flow of these shipments will contribute to reassuring traders and positively influencing their expectations, which constitute a key factor in determining the exchange rate.” link
Tishwash: Iraq will soon be free of armed factions, weapons under state control: Iraqi PM
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said Friday that Iraq would soon be free of armed groups, with weapons exclusively in the hands of state security forces, as he defended his government’s fiscal measures and anti-corruption campaign.
In an interview with the state-run Iraqi Media Network (IMN), Zaidi said that “By June 30, 2027, no weapons will remain outside the framework of the state,” adding that “Iraq will soon, God willing, be a state free of factions, like other countries in the world, and weapons will be exclusively in the hands of the Iraqi security forces.”
His remarks come amid continuing disagreements between the Iraqi government and powerful pro-Iran armed factions over Baghdad’s efforts to bring all weapons outside state control under government authority.
The government initially sought to resolve the issue by September 30, coinciding with the end of the US-led coalition’s military mission in Iraq, but later extended the deadline to June 30, 2027. Several Iran-backed factions have disputed the timetable, saying that no final agreement has been reached.
Under a 2024 agreement between Washington and Baghdad, the US military formally ended its Operation Inherent Resolve mission in Iraq on September 30, concluding a 12-year campaign against the Islamic State (ISIS) from within the country and shifting bilateral security cooperation to a new framework.
“The absence of foreign forces means the absence of the justification that was presented for carrying weapons outside the framework of the state,” Zaidi said, emphasizing that “there is currently no American soldier in Iraq, neither within combat forces nor in the capacity of military advisors.”
Zaidi revealed that understandings have been reached with five factions to lay down their arms, saying that work has been completed with three of them. “Work is underway to complete procedures with two other factions in the coming period,” he said.
His remarks also come as armed factions remain divided over bringing weapons under state control. While Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada offered conditional support for arms control frameworks, Harakat al-Nujaba and Kataib Hezbollah continue to reject compliance with the government’s timetable.
The group previously launched hundreds of drone and missile strikes under the Islamic Resistance in Iraq umbrella against American targets and diplomatic facilities.
Fiscal policy and disruptions to oil exports
Turning to economic policy, Zaidi defended his cabinet’s recent adjustments to the national currency’s value against the US dollar to safeguard public finances.
“The choices before the government were all difficult, but we had to take the necessary measures to protect the financial situation,” the prime minister stated, noting that “the mistake was not in the government’s decision to raise the dollar exchange rate, but in the previously taken decision to lower the exchange rate.”
The new exchange rate comes amid mounting fiscal pressures, with Iraq recording a budget gap of more than 29 trillion dinars ($22.4 billion) in the first seven months of 2026, according to Finance Ministry figures published earlier this month.
In early October, Iraq’s Council of Ministers approved a de facto devaluation of the Iraqi dinar, raising the official exchange rate from 1,320 dinars per US dollar to 1,520 dinars per US dollar for final beneficiaries.
Alongside currency adjustments, Zaidi outlined long-term targets to diversify state income beyond the energy sector, stating that his government “aims to raise the contribution of non-oil revenues to 30 percent of total revenues over the remaining years of its ter
Since the US-Israeli war against Iran began on February 28, Iraq has been working to restore oil revenues severely affected by disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, the country’s principal oil export route.
Commenting on Tehran’s actions in the maritime corridor, Zaidi stated that “the Iranian goal in closing the strait does not relate to Iraq specifically, but rather is to exert pressure by raising energy prices in global markets.”
Oil revenues account for at least 88 percent of Iraq’s total state income, while around 90 percent of its pre-war crude exports – approximately 3.5 million barrels per day – passed through the Strait of Hormuz via the country’s southern ports.
Addressing the impact of the Strait of Hormuz closure on Iraq’s crude exports, Zaidi stressed the need to overhaul the country’s export infrastructure to prevent similar disruptions in the future.
“The current crisis provided an important lesson for Iraq, and it must be utilized to build an integrated system for transporting and exporting oil, so the repercussions the country faced are not repeated,” he said.
Baghdad has sought to mitigate the disruption by diversifying export routes, including resuming shipments of Kirkuk crude through the Kurdistan Region to Turkey’s Ceyhan port and transporting smaller volumes by tanker trucks through Syria.
“The government has laid out a plan to gradually raise Iraqi oil production capacity… targeting a production of 10 million barrels per day by 2032,” Zaidi stated.
Zaidi said closing the Iraqi-Iranian border would harm both countries, warning that such a move amid the current crisis would amount to Iraq imposing an economic blockade on itself rather than on Iran. “Closing the Iraqi-Iranian borders is not in the interest of Iraq nor in the interest of Iran,” he said.
Anti-corruption efforts
Zaidi addressed the personal and political toll of his administration’s ongoing anti-graft drive, stating the continuation of Operation Dawn “will cost me the loss of many friends and loved ones.”
“An official is faced with two choices: either preserve their relationships and friends and overlook the people’s money, or draw clear lines for everyone when it comes to public funds,” he stated.
“The government adopted the principle of ‘prevention is better than cure’ and worked through the Federal Board of Supreme Audit and the Federal Commission of Integrity to weaken opportunities for corruption and prevent it from occurring in the first place,” Zaidi said.
Zaidi’s statements come months after Operation Dawn, a large-scale nationwide anti-corruption campaign launched in late June by the prime minister in coordination with the Federal Commission of Integrity (FCoI).
In late August, government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi detailed the financial results of the crackdown in comments to state media.
“The value of the funds, assets, or real estate recovered within the framework of the anti-corruption campaign is estimated at over 1.359 trillion dinars (over one billion dollars),” Aboudi told state media at the time.
Iraq ranked 136th out of 182 countries and territories in Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index, scoring 28 out of 100. link
Tishwash: Zaidi seeks higher US dollar shipments to narrow Iraq’s exchange gap
“We are working in the current days to raise it to one billion dollars,” he said, adding that the government was seeking more than $1 billion and working to secure some shipments worth $2.5 billion to increase the supply of cash dollars in the market.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said Friday his government is seeking to increase US cash dollar shipments to as much as $2.5 billion to narrow the gap between Iraq’s official exchange rate and the parallel market rate.
“The government is working quietly to address the gap between the official rate and the market rate,” Zaidi said in an interview with state media that aired Friday, adding that “the dollar rate may return in the coming period to 155,000 dinars per $100 or less.”
Earlier this month, Iraq devalued its currency, raising the official cash selling rate from 1,320 to 1,520 dinars per US dollar. The parallel market rate subsequently climbed above 170,000 dinars per $100, compared with 163,000 dinars the previous night.
The move came as the US-Israeli war against Iran disrupted oil exports, widening pressure on the government’s budget.
“The government is working to increase the quantities of cash dollars coming into Iraq, which would contribute to narrowing the gap between the official rate and the parallel rate,” Zaidi said.
The US cash shipments are physical dollar deliveries tied to Iraq’s oil revenues, which are held in an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Washington reportedly halted a shipment worth about $500 million in April amid pressure on Baghdad to curb the activities of Iran-backed armed groups and prevent illicit financial flows. Shipments continued in stages, with a new delivery arriving in Iraq on September 30, following understandings reached between Zaidi and US officials, according to Iraqi government spokesperson Haider al-Aboudi.
Zaidi said on Friday that the dollar could have reached 152,000 dinars per $100 without “the current regional circumstances,” adding that the US Federal Reserve had concerns about supplying Iraq with large quantities of physical dollars.
He said those concerns stem from fears in Washington about “the possibility that part of the cash dollars would reach the [armed] factions and be used in prohibited activities.” He added that Baghdad had “explained the reality of the internal situation to the American side many times.”
Washington has imposed sanctions and financial restrictions while pressing Baghdad to rein in Iran-aligned armed groups that have attacked US interests during the war.
Zaidi said shipments had been halted for months before his government took office on May 17. Following talks with Washington, deliveries resumed at around $140 million per month before increasing to $500 million.
“We are working in the current days to raise it to one billion dollars,” he said, adding that the government was seeking more than $1 billion and working to secure some shipments worth $2.5 billion to increase the supply of cash dollars in the market. link
