TNT:
Tishwash: Saudi Foreign Minister arrives in Baghdad on official visit
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan arrived in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on Thursday, on an official visit.
According to what an informed source told Shafaq News Agency, Bin Farhan is scheduled to hold talks with senior Iraqi officials during the visit, to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries and the latest developments in the region.
The source stated that this visit comes within the framework of enhancing joint cooperation and discussing issues of common interest between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Iraq, especially in light of regional developments that require coordination between the two countries to enhance stability and security in the region. Link
Tishwash: Aircraft Carrier Lincoln Arrives in Middle East with Naval Strike Force
The US military announced that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying destroyers arrived in the Middle East after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered this naval strike group to accelerate its transfer to the region.
This brings to two, at least temporarily, the number of US aircraft carriers currently in the Middle East, where fears of a regional military escalation are growing.
Tensions have been rising in the Middle East since Israel assassinated Hezbollah military leader Fouad Shukr in an airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburbs, and Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an assassination in Tehran, which Iran has accused the Hebrew state of being behind.
The Lincoln is supposed to replace the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.
On Wednesday, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a statement that “the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, equipped with F-35C and F/A-18 Block 3 fighters, has entered CENTCOM’s area of responsibility.”
She added that Lincoln “is the lead ship in Carrier Strike Group 3, accompanied by Destroyer Flotilla (Deseron) 21 and Carrier Wing (CVW) 9.”
The Pentagon announced on August 11 that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin had ordered the carrier Lincoln to “accelerate its transition” to the Middle East, after having ordered it to the region earlier in the month.
Fears of a major military escalation in the region have grown since Hezbollah and its ally Iran threatened to respond to the two assassinations that took place in the southern suburbs of Beirut and Tehran at the end of last July, just a few hours apart. link
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Tishwash: Iranian-American agreement to keep Iraq away from Middle East events
The Israeli newspaper, The Jerusalem Post, revealed on Wednesday that there is an Iranian-American agreement to keep Iraq away from the current conflict, noting that the Iraqi Prime Minister intervened to prevent the American response to the recent bombing of Ain al-Assad.
The newspaper said in a report, which was followed by Al-Mutalaa, that: “There is news circulating in intelligence circles about instructions reaching armed factions inside Iraq to stop attacks against American forces and their bases to prevent the country from sliding into open war,” indicating that: “The Iranian authorities decided to stop attacks against American bases in Iraq as a result of the escalation of tension to unprecedented levels and the increasing risk of Iraq turning into a war zone.”
She added that: “Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani was able to convince the Americans not to respond to the recent targeting of Ain al-Assad base and to cancel any plans to target armed factions inside the country,” stressing to the Americans that: “Iraq is committed to maintaining its security and preventing its lands from turning into a battlefield between the American and Iranian parties.”
The newspaper pointed out that: “The Iranian instructions do not include any mention of the attacks carried out by the factions inside Iraq against Israeli targets, including the continuous bombing of the port of Eilat,” explaining that: “The cessation of attacks is limited so far to American bases and interests only, according to its description.” link
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Tishwash: Iraqi MPs launch campaign to collect signatures to summon Central Bank Governor to Parliament
A number of Iraqi parliament members launched a campaign to collect signatures with the aim of summoning the governor of the Central Bank, Ali Al-Alaq, to the House of Representatives.
This step comes as part of attempts to determine the details of the Central Bank’s performance and raise the level of oversight over monetary policies and economic reforms.
This move reflects the parliament’s desire to follow up on the country’s financial and banking performance and ensure the achievement of the set economic goals.
On August 8, Hadi Al-Salami, a member of the Parliamentary Integrity Committee, revealed that his committee has been following up for more than a year on the file of terminating the assignment of the Central Bank Governor, Ali Al-Alaq, from his position.
Al-Salami stated that “there are many files and violations related to the Central Bank, which were referred to the Integrity Commission and the Public Prosecution,” indicating that “these violations include issues related to the lack of control over the exchange rate in the market, in addition to millions of dollars and interest received by Arab and foreign banks, including Jordanian banks.”
Jamal Koujar, a member of the Finance Committee of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, said in press statements monitored by (Al-Mada), that: “Seven or eight signatures were collected from within the Finance Committee of the Parliament, and the signatures of members of other parliamentary committees are now being collected to support the campaign.
Koujar added that “the issue of sanctions imposed on Iraqi banks and the issue of dealing with the dollar are not under the control of the governor of the Central Bank, but these representatives have different private interests.”
He continued, “If the matter reaches the point of accountability, Ali Al-Alaq will resign from his position, and he has already submitted his resignation.” Link
