Iraq Economic News and Points To Ponder Thursday Morning 7-23-26
Al-Hurra Website: Al-Zaidi Will Try In Tehran To Convince The Iranians That Iraq Is Capable Of Helping To De-Escalate Tensions
Latest News Wednesday, July 22, 2026 Baghdad - One News - The US-based Al-Hurra website reported that Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi received what a source close to him described as indirect “American support,” after Washington informed him that it welcomed any step he takes to calm the situation in the region.
The website added that al-Zaidi will test the limits of this welcome during his anticipated visit to Tehran at the end of this week, which was announced by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, where he will try to convince Iran that Iraq is capable of helping to reduce the escalation.
He noted that the Prime Minister will also discuss the issue of armed factions with Tehran, at a time when he is facing pressure from Washington to restrict weapons to the state.
He pointed out that any Iraqi attempt to mediate or convey messages between Washington and Tehran is gaining added sensitivity in light of the stalled de-escalation process and regional competition for mediation roles.
https://1news-iq.net/موقع-الحرة-الزيدي-سيحاول-في-طهران-إقنا/
The Central Bank Is Exploring Ways To Develop The Exchange Companies Sector
The Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Mr. Nizar Nasser Hussein, discussed with a number of company directors and board chairmen of exchange companies ways to develop the sector’s business and enhance its role in supporting the national economy.
His Excellency the Governor affirmed the Central Bank of Iraq’s keenness to revitalize the exchange companies sector and enable it to perform its role more effectively, pointing to the importance of cooperation in addressing challenges and developing the non-banking financial sector.
The Governor indicated that the next phase will witness the launch of new initiatives and activities to expand the scope of work of exchange companies and create new revenue opportunities, which will enhance their role in supporting the national economy and implementing initiatives that contribute to the development of the sector and raise the levels of compliance and governance.
He added that the commitment of exchange companies to these international standards represents a fundamental pillar for enhancing the efficiency of the sector and raising the levels of confidence in it, as well as enabling companies to expand the scope of their activities and develop their services, calling for the continuation of holding their periodic meetings.
Baghdad - Media Office, July 22, 2026https://cbi.iq/news/view/3271
Al-Mada: Forces Within The Coordination Framework Consider Al-Zaidi's Rapprochement With Trump A "Betrayal" Of The Late Iranian Supreme Leader
7/22/2026 Baghdad - One News - Al-Mada newspaper reported that Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi is facing, behind closed doors, major objections from his partners in the Shiite coalition, foremost among them the results of his recent visit to Washington.
The newspaper quoted two cross-referenced political sources in the Shiite alliance as saying that the new relationship with the United States has become, for some leaders of the coordinating framework, like a “bitter medicine” that must be swallowed, while Tehran watches the scene from behind the scenes and sends warning messages.
She added that leaders within the coordination framework are still hesitant to get closer to Washington, considering it, in their view, “a betrayal of the legacy of the Iranian Supreme Leader” who was killed by the United States in the last war.
https://1news-iq.net/المدى-قوى-بالإطار-التنسيقي-تعتبر-تقار/
Iraq's Ruling Coalition To Discuss Lifting Political Immunity In Corruption Cases
7/22/2026 Shafaq News- Baghdad Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi is expected to meet leaders of the Shiite ruling Coordination Framework to discuss mechanisms for removing political protection from officials accused of corruption, informed sources told Shafaq News on Wednesday.
The meeting, originally scheduled for Wednesday evening, may be postponed until after Al-Zaidi's visit to Tehran, the sources said. The discussions are also expected to cover files involving 12 prominent political and party figures accused of illicit enrichment and misuse of public funds, the sources said. Participants are expected to discuss measures to recover public funds through legal channels, including the possible use of Interpol notices in cases involving suspects outside Iraq.
According to the sources, the previous Coordination Framework meeting exposed divisions over the issue after allegations emerged involving senior political figures.
Iraq launched Dawn Crackdown (Sawlat Al-Fajr), the anti-corruption campaign on June 28, which has targeted current and former officials, lawmakers and business figures. Authorities have also announced preparations for a second phase focusing on corruption cases in the health, oil and electricity ministries, alongside efforts to trace assets inside and outside Iraq.
Read more: Iraq's Dawn Crackdown by numbers: 67 arrests explained
Al-Mada: The Anti-Corruption Campaign Faces “Framework” Accusations That It Is Part Of A Broader Battle To Reduce Iranian Influence
latest newsWednesday,July 22, 2026Baghdad - One News Al-Mada reported that the anti-corruption campaign is facing accusations that it is part of a broader battle to reduce Iranian influence, particularly given the overlap of money and networks of interests with entities linked to the Revolutionary Guard.
The newspaper added that parties (IRI faction parties) within the coordination framework accuse the government of targeting a specific political entity in pursuing corruption cases, while leaving other cases that they describe as more dangerous.
She noted that these concerns were present in the latest statement of the Coordination Framework, which called for the inclusion of all those involved, regardless of their affiliations, to ensure the integrity of the anti-corruption campaign, stressing that it would not protect any official whose guilt is proven, in a reference that seemed related to the controversy surrounding the leader Ahmed Al-Asadi.
The newspaper noted that the leader in the framework, Amer Al-Fayez, retracted statements that had sparked controversy regarding Ahmed Al-Asadi and Hussein Mounes, after he spoke about them being fugitives and wanted men.
https://1news-iq.net/المدى-حملة-مكافحة-الفساد-تواجه-اتهاما/
The Anti-Corruption Shockwave Has Led To The Dismissal Of Deputy Prime Ministers. A Leader In The Coordination Framework Told One News: "The Reactivation Of The Commander-In-Chief's Office Stemmed From Al-Zaydi's Conviction That Reaching An Agreement Soon
Baghdad - One News - 7/22/2026 A leader in the coordination framework, who preferred not to mention his name, revealed to “One News” a political agreement stipulating that no new positions for deputy prime ministers will be created during the current phase, in a remarkable shift imposed by the anti-corruption campaign led by the government of Prime Minister Ali al-Zidi, and the wide repercussions it has had within the political scene.
The leader said that the anti-corruption campaign has reshuffled the cards of the political forces, and has prompted a number of blocs, especially those with armed wings, to back down from demands that they considered part of their electoral entitlement, most notably the creation of positions for deputy prime ministers and obtaining additional executive positions within the government.
He added that this decline does not represent a passing political settlement, but rather reveals the magnitude of the shock caused by anti-corruption measures within forces that were seeking to expand their influence in state institutions, before they were forced to recalculate under the pressure of expanding investigations and escalating possibilities of prosecution.
Meanwhile, the leader revealed that the Iraqi government's reactivation of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, after nearly 12 years of its abolition, came as a result of a conviction that had taken root in Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi that it was impossible to reach a political consensus soon regarding the candidates for the Ministries of Interior and Defense.
He explained that assigning former Interior Minister Abdul Amir al-Shammari to the duties of the office director reflects a trend to rearrange the security leadership center, in light of expectations that the two ministries will remain vacant for the coming months due to the continuation of political disputes, the complexity of the nomination conditions, and the failure to reach a final understanding regarding the proposed names.
According to the leader, Al-Zaydi is seeking, through reactivating the office of the Commander-in-Chief, to prevent any vacuum in the management of the security establishment, and to concentrate security and military decisions within his office, in order to ensure the continuity of issuing orders, coordinating the work of agencies and forces, and managing sensitive files away from the repercussions of the delay in completing the cabinet.
He explained that the delay in deciding on the Ministries of Interior and Defense is due to two main factors: the first is the existence of an American veto on some blocs that are trying to push forward candidates to take over the two security ministries, and the second is the continuation of the conflict between the political forces, especially the Shiite ones, regarding the distribution of portfolios, the names of the candidates, and the limits of influence within the military and security institutions.
The leader stressed that reactivating the Commander-in-Chief's office is not a traditional administrative procedure, but rather establishes a broader transformation in the security decision-making structure, by redrawing the leadership pyramid at a highly sensitive stage, and placing the Prime Minister's office at the heart of managing military and security files until the fate of the Ministries of Interior and Defense is decided. https://1news-iq.net/صدمة-مكافحة-الفساد-تُسقط-مناصب-نواب-رئ/