“Tidbits From TNT” Monday 3-23-2026

TNT:

Tishwash: Mass evacuation: Cargo planes evacuate foreigners from the Joint Operations Command in Baghdad - Urgent

 An informed source reported on Sunday (March 22, 2026) that all foreigners working at the Joint Operations Command headquarters in Baghdad have withdrawn and left.

The source told Baghdad Today that "the evacuation process included all foreigners present at the command headquarters, as they were transported via air cargo planes that arrived at the military bases two days ago."

He added that "the move came as part of strict security measures that coincided with the evacuation of other vital sites in the area."  link

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Tishwash:  Central Bank: Measures to address the problems of Iraqi banks deprived of dealing in dollars

Ahmed Dawood Salman, the director of the transfers department at the Central Bank of Iraq, announced that the bank has taken several measures to address the problems of Iraqi banks that are deprived of dealing in dollars.

He added in statements carried by the Iraqi News Agency and followed by Iraq Observer: The Central Bank is continuing its procedures with international auditing companies, in order to audit the previous transfer process that led to some Iraqi banks being deprived of dollars or any problems that Iraqi banks were facing that led to them being deprived of dealing in dollars.

 He added that “there are several conditions and procedures that the Central Bank has imposed on banks, as the Director General of the Investment Department for Foreign Transfers and the Director General of the Banking Supervision Department are working on this matter with the auditing firm (Olive Wyman) and we will continue and we will notice the changes in the coming days.”  link

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Tishwash:  Al-Jizani: We expect the government formation to be finalized after Eid al-Fitr.

Sami Al-Jizani, a member of the National Wisdom Movement, predicted that the issue of forming a government would be resolved after Eid al-Fitr, stressing the need to end the constitutional vacuum in light of the continuation of the caretaker government.

Al-Jizani said, during his appearance on the “Free Talk” program on Al-Furat satellite channel, that “the speech of the head of the National State Forces Alliance, Mr. Ammar Al-Hakim, stressed the importance of finding a quick solution to the political crisis, in order to enable Iraq to play its pivotal role in the region,” noting that “the country has a position and distinguished relations that qualify it for this, but the delay in forming the government is hindering this role.”

He added that "the region is linked by religious, social and political ties," pointing to "Iran's role in supporting Iraq during the war against ISIS," while Mr. Al-Hakim warned of the expansion of the conflict in light of the current escalation.

Al-Jizani explained that "there are attempts by some countries to play a positive role; however, most countries in the region have not taken effective action to end the crisis," indicating that "the current stage requires prioritizing the national interest and moving towards forming a fully empowered government."

He stressed that "the supreme religious authority called for supporting oppressed peoples, especially in Iran and Lebanon, which is consistent with Mr. Al-Hakim's supportive stances in this regard."

In his speech during the Eid al-Fitr sermon at his office in Baghdad, Mr. Al-Hakim said that our country is facing a sensitive stage in its history, in light of rapid regional and international transformations and major economic and security challenges, which requires all of us to deal with the spirit of supreme national responsibility and the mindset of the state. In the current circumstances, Iraq cannot tolerate the continuation of the political vacuum or the disruption of the work of its constitutional institutions, because a strong state is not run with diminished powers and does not face challenges with temporary governments or interim solutions.

 He stressed that respecting constitutional deadlines is not just a legal procedure, but an expression of respect for the will of the people and the preservation of the stability of the political system. Therefore, expediting the formation of a fully empowered Iraqi government is no longer a political matter that can be postponed or manipulated, but has become an urgent national necessity imposed by the interest, security and stability of Iraq.

Mr. Ammar Al-Hakim stressed, “We will not stand idly by in the face of the continued political deadlock that has exhausted state institutions and burdened citizens. We will work with all available constitutional and political means to end the deadlock and accelerate the completion of constitutional requirements by forming a strong government that possesses the real elements of success that enable it to fulfill its responsibilities towards our people in this sensitive and critical stage.”  link

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