Iraq Economic News And Points To Ponder Saturday Morning 4-25-26
An Economist Warns Of A Financial Crisis Threatening Iraq At The Beginning Of Next Month
Clock Network - Economic and banking expert Mustafa Hantoush warned on Wednesday of a crisis that may begin at the start of next month, when Iraq is supposed to receive about $7 billion in oil revenues .
Hantoush said in a televised interview followed by Al-Sa’a Network that “a crisis may begin at the beginning of next month, when Iraq is supposed to receive about $7 billion in oil revenues, but the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the cessation of exports may reduce revenues to about $2 billion, causing two main problems: financing salaries and financing trade.”
He added that "the Americans used to send a plane every two or three months carrying $500 million or $1 billion, and since 2022 the money received during the whole year has become only about $5 billion ."
He explained that "these funds cover only one case, which is selling dollars to travelers, in addition to the fact that the central bank has enough liquidity to finance this activity for two years ."
He explained that "these funds, if they actually arrive, represent only 5% of oil revenues, and if the United States wanted to actually influence these matters, it would have manipulated the large sums that come in the form of transfers and letters of credit," noting that "Iraq sells 97% of its oil exports through these banking mechanisms, which do not arrive in the country in cash ."
He pointed out that "the state is currently discussing the deficit reduction law, which is a loan to finance salaries until the end of the year, but the law does not have consensus due to disagreements between the government and parliament, which may lead to a delay in its approval ."
He added that "if the law is delayed, the government may resort to funding salaries from current revenues, which include about 3 trillion dinars from oil, and about 1 trillion dinars from internal revenues, such as ports and others, while a deficit of about 3 trillion and 500 billion dinars remains ."
He added that "Iraq currently exports between 300,000 and 350,000 barrels per day, 300,000 through the port of Ceyhan, and 50,000 through Syria, while the Ministry of Oil is working on developing a new export line through Mosul and Fishkhabur, which may add 250,000 barrels per day, bringing the total to about 600,000 barrels, compared to 3.6 million barrels previously ."
He stressed that "the only solution for Iraq is to resume exports through the Strait of Hormuz, as the rest of the solutions are temporary ." https://alssaa.com/post/show/51101-خبير-اقتصادي-يحذر-من-أزمة-مالية-تهدد-العراق-مطلع-الشهر-المقبل
The Dollar In Iraq Is Under Siege... Washington Scrutinizes Dubai Transfers And Halts Shipments
Last updated: April 23, 2026 Independent/- Private and informed sources revealed developments they described as sensitive and dangerous in the Iraqi dollar file, indicating that the United States has begun, in the past few hours, to suddenly tighten the path of financial transfers leaving Iraq, especially those heading to Dubai, in a move that coincided with the suspension of dollar shipments to Iraq.
According to information obtained by Al-Mustaqilla, the American authorities have imposed strict scrutiny on financial transfers originating from Baghdad to the UAE, amid suspicions of mixing operations or transfers of unclear origin, which prompted Washington to tighten control urgently and directly.
The source confirmed that this sudden scrutiny is one of the main reasons behind the suspension of dollar shipments to Iraq in recent hours, reflecting growing American concern about the mechanisms for transferring funds out of the country and their final uses.
Available data indicates that current inspection procedures focus on tracking the movement of funds and ensuring the integrity of banking procedures related to foreign transfers, in light of increasing international pressure to tighten control over the Iraqi financial system and prevent any uses that may fall under illegal activities or raise suspicions among international regulatory bodies.
In contrast to these developments, no official clarification has yet been issued by the Iraqi government or the Central Bank of Iraq, which widens the circle of questions about the truth of what is happening, the size of the crisis, and its possible repercussions on the local market, especially since the dollar issue is one of the most sensitive issues in the Iraqi economy, given its direct link to the exchange rate, imports, and monetary stability.
Observers believe that the next phase may witness stricter measures on foreign transfers, and perhaps modifications to the dollar management mechanism within Iraq, if American pressure continues without reaching clear financial or diplomatic solutions to limit the escalation.
The Iraqi public, along with economic and financial circles, are awaiting an official position that reveals the truth about these developments, at a time when fears are growing about repercussions that may extend to exchange rates, markets and commercial activity, if the suspension of dollar shipments continues or restrictions imposed on foreign financial transfers expand. https://mustaqila.com/الدولار-في-العراق-تحت-الحصار-واشنطن-تد/
Google Plans To Invest $40 Billion In Artificial Intelligence Company Anthropic
Money and Business Google plans to invest up to $40 billion in artificial intelligence firm Anthropic, the company confirmed on Friday, paving the way for a long-term alliance between the two American companies.
This investment comes as part of a partnership in which Anthropic utilizes Google's chips and cloud computing services.
An Anthropic representative confirmed that the agreement includes an initial investment of $10 billion from Google, with the remaining $30 billion contingent on performance and the achievement of objectives.
Amazon is investing in Anthropic.
This announcement comes just days after Amazon revealed a plan to strengthen its collaboration with Anthropic with a new investment of $5 billion, plus another $20 billion if performance targets are met.
Anthropic announced its commitment to spending over $100 billion on Amazon's cloud computing services to support artificial intelligence over the next decade.
Anthropic is among the AI companies investing tens of billions of dollars in computing infrastructure as it strives to become a leader in the technology.
Anthropic revealed in early April that it had tripled its annual revenue to over $30 billion, surpassing OpenAI for the first time.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amode visited the White House last week, where the atmosphere was reportedly cordial, following the company's refusal to grant the Pentagon unconditional use of its AI models.
Earlier this month, Anthropic announced Mythos, its latest AI model, which it had previously refrained from releasing due to potential cybersecurity risks and concerns about its potential misuse by hackers.
https://www.economy-news.net/content.php?id=68277
Iran, Iraq Eye $20B Trade Target With New Barter System Plan
2026-04-25 Shafaq News- Tehran Iran and Iraq are moving to establish a barter system for goods and services as part of efforts to expand bilateral trade, the head of the Iran–Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce said on Saturday.
Yahya Al-Eshaq indicated that the initiative forms part of the chamber’s strategic plans for the year, aimed at strengthening economic ties between the two countries.
Iraq remains one of the main destinations for Iran’s non-oil exports, importing goods, technical and engineering services, and energy worth billions of dollars annually, he noted, describing the relationship as strategically significant on both commercial and geopolitical levels.
The cooperation has supported economic growth, job creation, infrastructure development, and closer economic integration, supported by shared religious and cultural ties and a long land border that facilitates trade and investment.
The chamber is targeting an increase in bilateral trade to $20 billion annually, a goal that requires addressing key challenges including trade imbalances, administrative and bureaucratic hurdles, and the impact of sanctions.
Proposed measures include launching a barter mechanism for goods and services, creating a joint investment platform, establishing a financial settlement system for traders, setting up a clearing center, and accelerating export processes to Iraq while facilitating imports into Iran.https://www.shafaq.com/en/Economy/Iran-Iraq-eye-20B-trade-target-with-new-barter-system-plan