Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Monday Afternoon 9-15-25
An Economist Explains The Reason For The Fluctuations In The Dollar Exchange Rate.
September 14, Information/Special… Economic researcher Ali Karim Idhaib confirmed on Sunday that the fluctuations in the dinar's exchange rate against the dollar are linked to a number of internal and external factors, most notably the local market's near-total reliance on imports.
“The improvement or decline in global oil prices, which represent the main source of state revenues, is directly reflected in the volume of dollar flows into the local market,” Idhaib told Al-Maalouma Agency.
He noted that “restrictions imposed on the sale and transfer of dollars by the Central Bank, and external interventions related to combating money laundering, have also contributed to increased volatility.
” He pointed out that "political and economic instability in the country plays a pivotal role in the increased demand for foreign currency, along with the continued smuggling of dollars out of Iraq," explaining that "these factors combined are putting increasing pressure on the exchange rate."
He pointed out that "the Central Bank is attempting to intervene through currency auctions and regulatory measures to curb speculation, but these measures will remain temporary unless dollar revenues are sustainably boosted.
" He stressed that "the stability of the political and economic situation and the increase in the state's hard currency resources are the decisive factor in alleviating pressure on the dinar and stabilizing the exchange rate." End/25Q
https://almaalomah.me/news/110271/economy/اقتصادي-يبين-سبب-تقلبات-سعر-صرف-الدولار
Expert: Iraq's Single-Source Income Threatens An Economic Crisis Within Years
Time: 2025/09/12 Read: 1,620 times {Economic: Al Furat News} Economic expert Abdul Rahman Al Mashhadani confirmed that tax revenues in Iraq are unclear, pointing to the lack of accurate data on the categories covered by the tax, especially those working in the private sector.
Al-Mashhadani told Al-Furat News Agency that "the lack of data on private sector workers represents a real challenge to tax collection," noting that "the current year's budget included 27 trillion dinars in non-oil revenues."
He added that "the revenues generated from these budgets do not exceed 50% of the budgeted amount, while actual revenues were supposed to be higher than the specified amount," warning that "the economic situation in Iraq is facing an existing crisis, which could worsen in the coming years if real measures are not taken to diversify sources of income."
Al-Mashhadani continued, "Reliance on a single resource, oil, makes the Iraqi economy vulnerable to fluctuations in global markets, which directly impacts the general budget and the government's ability to meet expenditures."
https://alforatnews.iq/news/خبير-الدخل-الأحادي-للعراق-يهدد-بأزمة-اقتصادية-خلال-سنوات
Diversifying Revenues: An Economic Expert Identifies The Most Prominent Solution To Free Iraq From Oil Price Fluctuations.
Baghdad Today – Baghdad Oil and economic affairs expert Ahmed Askar confirmed on Sunday (September 14, 2025) that Iraq's financial and economic situation will remain subject to "global fluctuations," while offering solutions to address this issue.
Askar told Baghdad Today, "The economic situation in Iraq will remain directly linked to fluctuations in global oil prices. Any decline in prices could place pressure on the general budget and the ability to finance services and investment projects.
" He explained that "the near-total dependence on oil revenues makes the Iraqi economy vulnerable to these fluctuations, which requires the adoption of flexible, pre-planned fiscal policies, not just immediate reactions."
The expert added that Iraq could face challenges related to financing expenditures, stabilizing the exchange rate, and rising inflation rates if oil prices decline.
Askar pointed out that Proposed solutions to enhance economic stability the next phase requires real reforms, most notably: Develop budgets based on multiple oil price scenarios.
Establish a savings fund or financial stability mechanism to cover expenses when revenues decline.
Diversifying sources of income by developing non-oil sectors. Enhancing transparency in spending and directing resources towards economically viable projects.
Askar concluded by saying, "Iraq urgently needs clear policies that ensure economic stability in the near term and pave the way for sustainable diversification that reduces dependence on oil as the primary source of revenue."
Iraq's seaborne oil exports varied in the first quarter of this year.
Exports rose by 29,000 barrels per day (bpd) year-on-year in January,but declined by 57,000 bpd in February. March saw the largest decline, declining by 200,000 bpd compared to the same month last year. https://baghdadtoday.news/283130-.html
Iraq's Gold Is Traded And Smuggled. Shocking Figures Reveal The Truth.
September 13, 2025 Baghdad/Iraq Observer The unprecedented quantities of gold imports into Iraq in 2024 raise numerous questions about their destination and impact on the national economy.
The value of imports reached approximately $12.5 billion, equivalent to nearly 16% of total imports.
Based on average gold prices last year, the imported quantity exceeds 120 tons.
Compared to the Central Bank of Iraq's reserves of only about $18 billion, the import volume raises questions about the fate of these large quantities of the precious metal, especially given the lack of accurate and transparent data from border crossings.
Initial reports indicate that more than 60 tons entered via air ports in the Kurdistan Region,
while the central government's ports have not announced any clear figures.
Questions are being raised about the fate of these quantities of gold, as experts believe that a large portion of the imported quantities were consumed domestically, after the precious metal became an alternative investment tool to the dollar.
With the decline in the value of the US currency against gold, individuals and large investors rushed to acquire it as a safe haven, which affected the volume of bank deposits and weakened domestic dollar trading.
Meanwhile, another hypothesis is emerging, suggesting that some traders have exploited the official dollar exchange rate in Iraq to import gold, then re-exported it to neighboring countries like Turkey
to profit from price differences.
Economists describe this process as potentially devastating for the economy if left unchecked.
There are also suggestions that gold may have been used as a means of barter with Iran,
given the absence of formal banking channels between the two countries.
It has become a tool for settling trade deals in exchange for Iranian goods and commodities,
in line with the non-cash nature of the existing exchange between Baghdad and Tehran.
Broader economic risks
For his part, economic expert Munar Al-Abidi explained that "the surge in gold imports requires an urgent review by Iraqi authorities, especially since their volume is three times the usual annual rate in previous years, which did not exceed $4 billion." Al-Obaidi added to the Iraq Observer that "a portion of these quantities may not actually enter the consumer market, but rather become a conduit for settling foreign transactions through informal means, which creates serious economic and legal loopholes and exposes Iraq to risks related to combating money laundering and the financing of illegal activities."
Experts point out that understanding the trajectory of these imports requires international cooperation to track data in countries that may be re-exporting gold or receiving it as trade compensation.
The discrepancy between Iraqi figures and global trade data raises doubts about the size of the informal market and requires the implementation of stricter oversight mechanisms. https://observeriraq.net/ذهب-العراق-بين-المقايضة-والتهريب-أرقا/
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