Saturday Iraq News Posted by Tishwash at TNT 6-20-2026
TNT:
Tishwash: Algerian: The government will be forced to change the exchange rate after the country's economic downturn.
Information/Baghdad...
The head of the political body of the National Tribal Movement, Abdul Rahman al-Jazaeri, confirmed that the government will be forced to change the dollar exchange rate in local markets after the economic downturn the country has witnessed as a result of the war in the region.
Al-Jazaeri told Al-Maalouma, "The Prime Minister's move to increase the value of the dollar in local markets at the expense of the Iraqi dinar is possible and not unlikely given the conditions and developments in the region and their repercussions on Iraq."
He added, "The war in the region has had a complete and clear impact on all Iraqi economic programs, the budget, the dollar exchange rate, and foreign transactions, in addition to the disruption in the export of Iraqi oil."
He explained that "the urgent need compels the government to take measures that will increase the exchange rate in local markets in order to put the economy back on track, especially with an economic figure at the top of the executive branch."
Tishwash: An economist warns that changing the exchange rate without structural reforms could exacerbate inflation and poverty.
Economic expert Manar Al-Obaidi confirmed on Friday (June 19, 2026) that changing the exchange rate of the dinar against the dollar as a unilateral measure to reduce public spending may have negative effects that outweigh its temporary gains, calling for addressing the structural imbalances in the Iraqi economy.
Al-Ubaidi said in an analysis seen by “Baghdad Today” that “reducing the value of the dinar may achieve some gains, including reducing government spending denominated in dinars, limiting imports, supporting local products, as well as reducing pressure on cash reserves.”
He added that "the decision may entail a number of risks, most notably the loss of confidence in the local currency and increased dependence on the dollar, weakening the investment environment, increasing the state's operating expenses, as well as growing rates of inflation, poverty and unemployment."
He pointed out that "the real economic problem lies in the inflation of operating expenses, the weakness of non-oil revenues, and the imbalance in the trade balance," stressing that "real reform begins with addressing these issues structurally, and that any adjustment to the exchange rate should be part of an integrated package of economic reforms." link
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Tishwash: Ahead of his visit to Washington, al-Zaydi's "sieve" causes the biggest government shake-up since 2003.
It wasn't long after Ali Faleh al-Zaidi took over his duties that he began sending clear signals to his opponents and allies at the same time, under the title "The next stage will not be an extension of what came before it."
While his government is still completing its ministerial formation, informed sources speak of a broad list of changes that may affect more than 100 officials at various administrative levels, starting with undersecretaries and not ending with directors-general, in a move that seems closer to redrawing the centers of influence within the Iraqi state than to mere routine administrative procedures.
According to information obtained by Shafaq News Agency, the team assigned by Al-Zaidi to review the performance of government institutions is continuing its work away from the spotlight, through a comprehensive evaluation of official institutions and bodies, in preparation for launching one of the broadest replacement operations that the country has witnessed since 2003.
The evaluation process is not limited to administrative performance only, but also includes the nature of the political and organizational affiliations of some officials, amid talk of a trend to remove figures who are accused of being close to armed factions or who have failed to manage the files entrusted to them during the past years.
In a country where successive governments have been accustomed to "waiting before approaching high positions for fear of clashing with influential parties," al-Zaydi's moves appear to be very different.
The current prime minister began his term with a series of decisions affecting sensitive security and economic positions, including the National Security Service and the Central Bank, which opened the door to questions about whether these steps represent the beginning of a project to restructure state institutions, or whether they come in response to the requirements of a "new political phase" in which internal calculations are intertwined with external pressures.
The timing of these measures is of exceptional importance as al-Zaidi’s anticipated visit to Washington and his expected meeting with US President Donald Trump approach, a visit that many observers view as a pivotal moment in shaping the relationship between the new government and the US administration.
According to political sources who spoke to Shafaq News Agency, US envoy Tom Barrack discussed with al-Zaidi during his recent visit to Baghdad issues that go beyond the formation of the government or the distribution of positions, reaching the form of the Iraqi state during the next stage, the mechanisms for managing sovereign institutions, and strengthening the independence of government decision-making from traditional centers of influence.
According to the sources, there are understandings that led to the abolition of the positions of deputy prime ministers, as well as the exclusion of the “Ministry of Federal Security” project, which was proposed to include various security formations, including the Popular Mobilization Forces and armed factions.
Meanwhile, negotiations regarding the allocation of security ministries and some contentious portfolios are still ongoing, amid assurances that al-Zaydi is seeking to select technocratic figures, even if they enjoy the support of certain political forces, sources say.
But the road ahead for the prime minister does not appear entirely paved, as any change in the highest state positions necessarily means disrupting political balances that have accumulated over more than two decades, which makes any broad replacement process a real test of al-Zaydi’s ability to impose his will within a system of governance based on consensus, power-sharing, and the division of influence.
With the postponement of the meetings of the Coordination Framework forces until after the tenth of Muharram, the political forces seem to be waiting for the picture of the final understandings regarding the government formation and the expected changes to become clear, before determining the form of their position on the Al-Zaydi project.
Until then, the list of 100 names does not appear to be a "media show," but rather a title for a silent political battle taking place behind the scenes, which may redraw the centers of power within the Iraqi state, and reveal the extent to which al-Zaydi can turn promises of reform into reality, or remain within the limits of the balances that brought him to power. link
Tishwash: Iraq returns to the "grey list"... International demand obliges Baghdad to implement a plan to combat money launderin
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) announced on Friday that it has placed Iraq on its "grey list" of countries that require increased monitoring regarding their efforts to combat money laundering and financial crimes.
The group’s chair, Elisa de Anda Madrazo, said in a statement translated by Shafaq News Agency that “the group’s general meeting decided to add Iraq to the grey list, as there is still a need to take measures to address the risks associated with cash transactions, increase investigations related to money laundering and terrorist financing, and enhance the use of financial information.”
According to the statement, inclusion on the grey list means that the country in question is subject to enhanced monitoring by the Financial Action Task Force, and is required to implement a reform plan to address deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing systems.
The decision comes at a time when the new Iraqi government is asserting that economic reform and combating corruption are key priorities for the next phase.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi had announced, since taking office last May, that rebuilding the Iraqi economy, attracting foreign investment, and fighting corruption would be among the main pillars of his government's program.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) announced in July 2018 that Iraq had been removed from the monitoring zone, due to the significant progress made by the Central Bank of Iraq and the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Office in improving and addressing shortcomings, and in fulfilling all its obligations towards the FATF recommendations and addressing the requirements of the anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing strategy prepared by the bank at that time. link
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Tishwash: The US Secretary of State will visit the Middle East next week.
The American news website Axios reported on Friday evening that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio intends to visit the Middle East next week.
According to the website, Rubio will visit the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain during a Middle East tour next week.
Earlier today, Rubio, in a telephone call with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, affirmed Washington’s support for the Lebanese government’s efforts to establish a sovereign state that lives in peace with its neighbors.
For his part, US President Donald Trump, in statements on Friday, specifically thanked the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, stressing that Washington’s relations with the three countries are “great,” and praising the role played by the region’s capitals in supporting efforts to de-escalate tensions and engage in dialogue over the past months.
Last Wednesday, Trump and his Iranian counterpart, Masoud Pezeshkian, remotely signed a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz, in a move that preceded a ceremony that was scheduled to take place in Switzerland, and opened the door to broader negotiations on the nuclear issue and sanctions during a period of 60 days link