Financial advisor: There is no liquidity crisis and the government is proceeding with preparing the 2026 budget.

The Prime Minister’s financial advisor, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, confirmed on Wednesday that there is no severe liquidity crisis in the short term, while indicating that the government is proceeding with the preparation of the 2026 budget within the medium-term framework of fiscal policy. The Prime Minister’s financial advisor, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, told the official agency that “governments usually resort to measures to reduce spending when facing pressures resulting from fluctuations in revenues or an increase in current obligations, especially in rentier economies that depend on a single resource such as oil.”

He also explained that “these measures come in light of fluctuating oil prices and increasing spending requirements, which necessitates discipline in managing liquidity.”

Regarding liquidity problems in the coming period, Saleh stressed that “the government is not expected to face a severe liquidity crisis in the short term, as long as oil revenues remain at their current levels and coordination between fiscal and monetary policies continues,” indicating that “continued pressure on operational spending may lead to a relative widening of the 2026 budget deficit, unless it is accompanied by controlling expenditures and strengthening non-oil revenues, especially tax and customs revenues.”

Regarding the preparation of the draft federal general budget law for 2026, he indicated that “the financial authority and the government have made significant progress in preparing it within the medium-term framework of fiscal policy,” expecting that “the draft will focus on achieving a balance between fiscal sustainability and development requirements.”

He added, “Initial indicators suggest that investment and service projects will remain at the forefront of priorities, especially those related to infrastructure, energy and basic services, which will enhance economic growth and alleviate social pressures, while simultaneously striving to rationalize operational spending and improve its efficiency.”

He also stressed that “the real challenge lies not in the size of the spending itself, but in its quality and efficiency, and in the ability of public finances to gradually move from the logic of crisis management to the logic of sustainable development planning.”

Burathanews.com

The central bank speaks of “intertwined pressures” on the economy… and expresses concern about the repercussions of “salary spending cuts”.

Bank Governor Ali Al-Alaq confirmed that the Iraqi economic scene is facing complex pressures, noting that salaries and subsidies pose an additional challenge, with the difficulty of reducing these expenditures due to the expected social repercussions.

Al-Alaq said on the sidelines of the Fifth Regional Conference of the Islamic Economic Forum in Cairo that “the Iraqi scene is facing complex pressures and accumulated infrastructure and development challenges, which require diversifying the economy and maximizing public revenues,” noting that “public finances in Iraq depend on oil exports by more than 90%, which is an unconventional source subject to fluctuations in global prices, leading to revenue volatility and weak financial stability, which necessitates finding structural solutions.”

He stressed that “the limited economic diversification and weak productive sectors have made Iraq a country that is primarily an importer, which puts continuous pressure on the dollar and the exchange rate, especially with the rise in purchasing power and the increase in daily demand for foreign currency, which is directly reflected in the monetary policy that has achieved great success in balancing the maintenance of price levels, managing liquidity and stimulating the economy.”

He pointed out that “public spending pressures, especially on salaries, subsidies and basic services, pose an additional challenge,” stressing “the difficulty of reducing these expenditures due to the social repercussions they may cause, at a time when the Central Bank is seeking to avoid inflation and maintain monetary stability to protect the social structure in the country,” according to the state-run Al-Sabah newspaper.

Al-Alaq explained that “Iraq has been able in recent years to finance part of the financial deficit through the development of non-oil revenues, while continuing to coordinate with the Prime Minister with the aim of maximizing these resources and reducing dependence on oil in an effort to break the ‘financial dominance’ of oil revenues over the general budget.”

The Central Bank Governor stressed that “the stability of the exchange rate is a pivotal goal, as it provides a safe cover for investors and citizens,” while pointing out that “international studies show that losses in the debt file may range between 20% and 25% as a result of ill-considered financing conditions or delays.”

Burathanews.com

The development path enters the implementation phase.

With the final designs completed (100%), the Development Road project enters a crucial phase that paves the way for its transformation from a strategic plan to an executive reality.

The Prime Minister’s Advisor for Transportation and the Development Road, Nasser al-Asadi, confirmed to Al-Sabah newspaper that the project has officially entered the marketing and international investment attraction phase. He explained that the completed designs are currently undergoing technical review before their launch. The Development Road is considered the largest economic project in modern Iraqi history, aiming to establish a land-rail corridor extending from the Grand Faw Port to the Turkish border, passing through several governorates.

Al-Asadi revealed that Iraq has received investment offers from several countries, including Turkey, the UAE, Qatar, and Oman, with increasing interest from the Gulf region. He indicated that the final route, agreed upon between Baghdad and Erbil, will pass through Dohuk and reach Fishkhabur, as it is the least expensive and easiest to construct, according to studies by an international consultant.

The project aims to reduce trade time between Asia and Europe to 15 days. Al-Asadi also indicated that the expected revenues, whether from current or future investments, are estimated at billions of dollars, with financial and economic studies to be announced soon, stressing that the project will provide ample job opportunities and form a cornerstone for strengthening the economy.

Alsabaah.iq

The Sudanese official discusses with a SpaceX delegation the final stages of granting satellite internet licenses.

The policy of receiving the president cabinet, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani On Thursday, a delegation from the company Space Starlink, the American company specializing in networking and communications technology, was present, along with the US Chargé d’Affaires. Iraq Joshua Harris.
During the meeting, the final stages of granting satellite internet licenses, including to the company, were discussed. SpaceX, and to enhance cooperation in the field of communications and services provided by the company and its coverage areas.

He pointed Sudanese Until that Iraq It achieved a significant shift in the path of attraction Global companies The various sectors, and securing all their requirements and needs, including satellite internet systems, to sustain their work and activities, emphasizing the government’s interest and keenness to keep pace with global developments. Communications technology Information and digital transformation through cooperation with SpaceX and its entry into the Iraqi market, which today offers many promising investment opportunities, according to a statement from his office.

The president confirmed cabinet The government prioritizes the telecommunications sector in Iraq, focusing on preserving Iraq’s information and technological sovereignty, investing in the capabilities of young specialists in this field, training them, and eventually entrusting them with operational responsibilities.

For their part, the SpaceX Starlink delegation expressed their keen interest in working, providing services, and collaborating in the information technology sector, emphasizing that their company is ready to operate and contribute to providing services. Internet service The alien will be available within a short period, after officially obtaining a work permit in Iraq.

Alsumaria.tv

Iraq receives a message from the US: Oil smuggling money is infiltrating Baghdad’s banks.

On Thursday, the “Eco Iraq” observatory revealed that the Central Bank of Iraq received an official email from the US Treasury Department, specifically from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), inquiring about financial deposits related to Iraqi oil smuggling operations that were deposited in the “Bank of Baghdad”.

The observatory explained, in a statement received by Shafaq News Agency, that the OFAC letter indicated that individuals wanted on charges of oil smuggling had deposited sums of money in the bank, noting that the information contained in the letter confirms the involvement of parties within (Baghdad Bank) in facilitating deposit operations and money laundering.

According to the observatory, such cases usually require summoning the authorized manager of the bank in question, in the presence of the American company contracted to audit the movement of funds, in order to verify the paths of suspicious transfers and deposits.

“Eco Iraq” confirmed that the receipt of signals from the US Treasury Department regarding the involvement of employees or departments within the Bank of Baghdad in facilitating the deposit of funds related to oil smuggling represents a serious indication of the weakness of compliance and internal control systems.

He concluded that banking institutions operating within Iraq, particularly those dealing in dollars, are supposed to adhere to the highest standards of combating money laundering and the financing of illegal activities, including oil smuggling, noting the “sensitivity of such issues to the United States.”

Shafaq.com

“The US Defense Act 2026”: Strict conditions on Iraq and a firmer presence in Syria

The text of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2026 reveals a package of strategic decisions that reshape the American military presence in the Middle East, and establish new parameters for the relationship with the Baghdad government, while extending operations against ISIS.

The US House of Representatives passed the bill by an overwhelming majority (312 votes to 112), and it now heads to the Senate for final ratification.

Officially ending the “state of war” with Iraq

In a long-awaited historic move, Congress formally repealed two key authorizations used to launch military operations in Iraq: the 1991 resolution concerning the First Gulf War (the liberation of Kuwait), and the 2002 resolution that paved the way for the invasion of Iraq and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s regime.

This repeal ends the legal basis that US presidents have relied on for decades to launch military operations in Iraq without consulting Congress, thus closing the chapter on “open-ended wars”.

Freezing funds for “security cooperation” and conditions for “disarming militias”

Despite the repeal of the war authorization, Congress tightened its grip on security assistance to Iraq, with legislation freezing 50% of the Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq (OSC-I) budget for 2026.

Her release was contingent upon the Minister of Defense providing a “certification” that the Iraqi government had taken credible steps to “reduce the influence of pro-Iranian militias” through a public and verifiable Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) process, and to enforce state sovereignty by strengthening the authority of the Prime Minister as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

The US Secretary of Defense was given the authority to suspend this freeze for 180 days if national security interests so required.

Congress stressed the need to investigate and hold accountable security elements or “militias” operating outside the official chain of command and involved in attacks against U.S. or Iraqi forces.

Syria: Preventing withdrawal and securing detention camps

On the Syrian issue, Congress adopted a hardline stance against any sudden military withdrawal and prohibited the reduction of bases. The law also prohibited the use of any funds to reduce the number or merge US military bases in Syria unless the Secretary of Defense and CENTCOM provided certification confirming that the new situation would not affect the ability to combat terrorism, along with a plan to close any security gaps.

Securing the Al-Hol and Roj camps

The law (Section 1216) obliges the US Department of Defense to take urgent measures to support the protection of detention camps for ISIS members and their families (Al-Hol and Roj), and to support local partners (SDF) to prevent the escape of detainees or the return of extremism, while submitting a detailed annual report on plans to return detainees to their countries.

Extending counter-ISIS operations and supporting partners

The law affirmed the continuation of the war on terror by extending the following legal authorities until December 31, 2026: providing assistance to vetted Syrian groups and individuals, providing support for operations against ISIS, and compensating coalition countries that support U.S. military operations.

Shafaq.com

Today, Sunni forces are holding an “important” meeting to decide on the nomination of the Speaker of Parliament.

The “National Political” Council, which unites the Sunni forces that won the 2025 parliamentary elections, intends to hold an “important” meeting on Thursday to decide on the nomination of the Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament.

A senior official in the council told Shafaq News Agency that “the leaders of the National Political Council will hold an important meeting this evening, Thursday, at the home of the leader of the Azm Alliance, Muthanna al-Samarrai, in the presence of all the council’s leaders, to decide on the nomination of the next Speaker of Parliament in a consensual manner among all the Sunni political forces.”

The source, who asked not to be named, added that “the most prominent candidates for the presidency of the House of Representatives are (Mohammed al-Halbousi, Muthanna al-Samarrai, Thabit al-Abbasi) and perhaps new names will be put forward during today’s meeting, including (Haiba al-Halbousi, Mahmoud al-Qaisi).”

He pointed out that “the leaders of the council are in contact with the leaders of the Shiite Coordination Framework to coordinate positions and prevent any veto on the name of any figure that the Sunni political leaders may agree on, in order to prevent opposition to them and to ensure a vote in favor of whoever is chosen in the first session of the new parliament.”

On Wednesday, Azam Al-Hamdani, a leader in the Al-Azm Alliance, revealed that the date for the third session of the National Political Council had been set, and indicated that it would be dedicated to discussing the candidate for the presidency of the Iraqi parliament.

Al-Hamdani told Shafaq News Agency that “the National Political Council will resume its sessions that it held last week at the home of the head of the Progress Party, Muhammad al-Halbousi,” indicating that “the next session will be the third and will be held at the home of the head of the Azm Party, Muthanna al-Samarrai, and the meeting is expected to be held tomorrow, Thursday, or next Sunday.”

He explained that “the third session will be held to resolve the issue of entitlements within the Sunni bloc, and what is related to the presidency of the House of Representatives and the rest of the other positions within the government formation, in addition to completing the process of building the state through building the Iraqi government with the participation of everyone.”

Last month, the Sunni alliances and parties that won the elections announced the establishment of the “National Political Council”.

This came during an expanded meeting held at the initiative and invitation of the head of the Sovereignty Alliance, Khamis al-Khanjar, in Baghdad, with the aim of unifying visions and positions regarding major national issues and strengthening joint work between political leaders and blocs, according to a statement issued at the time.

According to the final election results, Sunni forces won 77 seats, making the reshaping of alliances a crucial factor in the negotiations to form the next government.

Last Monday, the Independent High Electoral Commission sent the final results of the sixth parliamentary elections to the Federal Supreme Court (the highest judicial authority in Iraq) for ratification.

Shafaq.com

Iraq achieves a significant leap in its oil exports to America, surpassing Saudi Arabia.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration announced on Thursday that Iraq’s oil exports to the United States totaled more than 7 million barrels during November, an increase of more than 2.5 million barrels over the previous month.

The administration stated in a table seen by Shafaq News Agency that “Iraq exported 7.920 million barrels of crude oil to America during the month of November, up from the month of October, in which Iraqi oil exports amounted to 4.495 million barrels.”

She added that “Iraq exported an average of 149,000 barrels per day of crude oil to America during the first week of November, while it exported an average of 92,000 barrels per day in the second week, an average of 397,000 barrels per day in the third week, and an average of 435,000 barrels per day in the fourth week.”

The U.S. Energy Information Administration explained that “Iraq ranked third in its exports to America last month, after Canada, which ranked first as the country exporting the most oil to America, followed by Mexico.”

The administration noted that “Iraq came in first place among Arab countries as the largest exporter of oil to America, ahead of Saudi Arabia, which came in second with exports of 7.380 million barrels, and Libya came in third with exports of 1.440 million barrels.”

Shafaq.com

The Iraqi embassy welcomes the cancellation of the US authorizations for the use of military force against Iraq.

The Iraqi Embassy in Washington welcomed the US House of Representatives’ vote to repeal the two authorizations for the use of military force against Iraq. A statement from the Iraqi Embassy said, “The Embassy of the Republic of Iraq in Washington welcomes the US House of Representatives’ vote to repeal the 1991 and 2002 authorizations for the use of military force against Iraq and to repeal the war laws, in a step that strengthens the partnership between Iraq and the United States and supports the bilateral relationship on the basis of dialogue and cooperation.”

The US House of Representatives voted on the National Defense Authorization Act (which includes repealing the authorizations for the use of military force against Iraq), with a result of 312 in favor of the bill and 212 against it.

Burathanews.com

Multiple exchange rates

In the heart of Baghdad, amidst the constant monitoring of currency exchange rates, the Iraqi economy breathes with every fluctuation in the dollar’s value. With each rise or fall, voices of anxiety rise, or the pulse of the markets slows, reflecting the fragility of an economic structure still reliant on a single resource. Today, with expectations of increased global oil supply and falling crude prices, crucial questions arise: How can Iraq safeguard its economy? And can a selective exchange rate policy be part of the solution?

Expert readings indicate that this policy, if implemented as part of a comprehensive reform package, could constitute a smart mechanism for adapting to international storms and protecting the citizen at the same time.

The Iraqi currency market is currently experiencing relative stability, with the dinar’s exchange rate against the dollar recently rising in the parallel market. In Baghdad, it reached 1420 dinars for selling and 1415 dinars for buying. Experts attribute this stability to several factors, most notably the trend of traders using the official Central Bank platform to purchase dollars, improved confidence resulting from relative security and the success of the recent elections, and the effectiveness of the Central Bank’s oversight measures in curbing smuggling.

However, this calm may be temporary. The international landscape suggests the possibility of an oil crisis with the potential return of oil supplies from countries like Iran, Venezuela, and Russia should geopolitical conditions shift. Such a scenario, while hypothetical in the short term, could lead to an unprecedented global oversupply and a sharp drop in prices, placing the Iraqi economy, which relies on oil for approximately 90% of its budget, on the brink of an existential crisis.

In the face of these challenges, the idea of ​​adopting a selective or multi-level exchange rate system emerges. This idea is based on a simple but profound economic principle of directing the state’s limited resources to protect the citizen and stimulate local production, instead of paying the bill for importing luxuries.

How does this policy work?

A subsidized exchange rate is granted for the import of basic and vital goods that are part of the citizen’s daily life, such as wheat, medicines, raw materials for local production, and agricultural machinery.

• An intermediary exchange rate may be applied to intermediate sectors or to specific strategic sectors that need reconstruction.

A free or high exchange rate is applied to the import of luxury goods, such as luxury cars, modern electronics, perfumes and luxury products.

• Potential benefits:

Protecting the poor and middle class by securing basic goods at reasonable prices, thus limiting imported inflation in essential goods.

Encouraging local production makes importing raw materials for production cheaper, while imported luxury goods become expensive, thus stimulating demand for local products.

Rationalizing government spending and hard currency: Directing precious oil dollar reserves towards what is truly necessary for the economy and the citizen.

• Increased government revenues: through the price difference achieved from selling dollars to import luxury goods at a higher price.

However, many economists warn against viewing any exchange rate adjustment, including multiple exchange rates, as a magic bullet or a one-off solution. Economist Mahmoud Dagher emphasizes that “changing the exchange rate cannot be the sole cure for the crisis, as long as it is not accompanied by a set of complementary measures.”

The idea of ​​multiple exchange rates in Iraq is not mere economic fantasy; it is a difficult strategic choice that requires political courage and administrative acumen. It is not a magic wand to rescue an economy suffering from chronic structural problems, but it could be a smart defense mechanism that protects vulnerable segments of society and preserves the country’s resources in the lean years that may lie ahead. The decision now is one of will: Will Iraq begin, now, to build a productive and resilient economy, or will it remain captive to rent-seeking and the dominance of a single revenue stream? The answer will be determined by the decisive measures the next government takes on the path to genuine and comprehensive reform.

Alsabaah.iq