Rashid to an American newspaper: Iraq is ready to mediate between Washington and Tehran

Iraqi President Abdul Latif Rashid confirmed on Tuesday that Baghdad wants to play a mediation role between Washington and Tehran, while calling on US President Donald Trump to implement his promises regarding ending conflicts in the Middle East.

“Iraq has changed a lot from what it was under Saddam Hussein, and the time of entering into conflicts and challenging the rights of other countries is over,” Rashid said in an interview with the Washington Times, translated by Shafaq News Agency. “Some major companies, in the energy sector and others, are active here in petrochemicals and oil, and I don’t think we are facing a conflict with the United States. On the contrary, we welcome all the help we can get from the United States, and we want to have a really good and friendly relationship with the United States.”

He pointed out that “Iraq can play an important role in mediation because it is in constant contact with Iranian policy,” indicating that “Iraq has no reservations about meeting senior Iranian officials, and has played a role in making Iran and Saudi Arabia understand each other, and re-establishing the diplomatic service, which has benefited everyone, and has also made some suggestions to Jordan and other countries.”

Regarding Iraq’s possible role in Syria, the president continued, saying, “It is clear that Syria is an independent state and has a new administration or new rulers, and we want the Syrian government to reflect the will of the Syrian people, either through elections or through the democratic steps that must be taken,” stressing that “the Syrian administration must try to accommodate all segments of society, so that no one feels that he has been excluded or not treated as an ordinary citizen.”

He stressed that “there is one very important point for Iraq, which is the presence of large numbers of terrorists or families of terrorists on the Syrian border, and there is concern about that, and some arrangements must be made so that the border does not get out of control.”

Asked if the Iraqi president would receive an invitation to visit the United States, Rashid said, “I honestly don’t know. I sent President Trump a congratulatory message and encouraged him to implement what he promised to maintain peace in the world, to end conflicts,” noting that “life will not be easy, especially in our region, where we have conflicts in Syria, in Palestine, and we have problems in Lebanon, in Yemen, in Sudan, and in Somalia.”

Shafaq.com

Iraqi government announces establishment of “National Mobile” in partnership with Vodafone

The Iraqi government agreed during its meeting today, Tuesday, headed by Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, to establish the “National Mobile Phone” to operate the fifth generation in partnership with “Vodafone”.

Al-Sudani’s media office said in a statement received by Shafak News Agency that the Council of Ministers approved the establishment of the National Mobile Phone Company, with the contribution of the Ministry of Communications, the National Retirement Authority, and the Trade Bank of Iraq.

He explained that the company will operate the national license for fifth-generation technology, in cooperation with the international telecommunications company Vodafone.

In turn, Minister of Communications Hiyam Al-Yasiri said in a video statement, “The Council of Ministers issued a decision to establish the National Mobile Phone Company with the contribution of the Ministry of Communications represented by the General Peace Company, the Trade Bank of Iraq, in addition to the National Retirement Authority, with the aim of maximizing the employees’ retirement fund and providing subsidized services to retirees.”

She pointed out that “the ministry is proceeding to complete the technical preparations for the project with Vodafone International and the Communications and Media Commission,” indicating that “this project was part of the government’s ministerial curriculum decisions and will be implemented soon.”

Last December, Minister of Communications Hiyam Al-Yasiri announced that the Council of Ministers had issued an important decision approving the selection of Vodafone International as the operator of the national government license for 5G mobile phones, which came based on the recommendations of the negotiating team formed by the Ministry of Communications.

The decision authorized the Ministry of Communications to negotiate to provide financial support to prepare the preliminary procedures for launching the project, which will be implemented in the coming months.

Shafaq.com

World Bank confirms strengthening financial stability in Iraq

Minister of Finance Taif Sami stressed, on Tuesday, the importance of the ongoing partnership with the World Bank, and Iraq’s aspiration to benefit from the technical and financial support it provides in implementing strategic projects to stimulate economic growth and provide job opportunities .

The minister said during her meeting with the World Bank representative, Jean-Christophe Carret, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance and received by Shafak News, that “cooperation includes areas related to infrastructure and human development .”

The statement added, “The meeting discussed ways to enhance economic and financial cooperation between Iraq and the World Bank, and reviewed a number of key topics related to enhancing financial stability in Iraq, in addition to discussing development projects that the two parties seek to implement with the aim of achieving sustainable development .”

For his part, the World Bank representative, according to the statement, expressed the bank’s commitment to continue supporting Iraq in achieving its development goals, noting that “the World Bank pays great attention to enhancing Iraq’s ability to face economic and development challenges, with a focus on sustainable development and achieving comprehensiveness in the benefits achieved .”

Shafaq.com

Central Bank Governor: Iraq has one of the highest gold reserves in the Arab world at 162 tons

Al-Alaq stated in a statement to the official agency that “the Central Bank is closely monitoring the movement of gold and currencies,” noting that “part of diversification to ward off any risks is to have a percentage of gold reserves, especially in recent years, there have been continuous purchases.”

He added, “Iraq today has 162 tons of gold, which is one of the highest reserves in the Arab world, and we are the fourth country in terms of the size of the gold reserves we have.”

Burathanews.com

Ministry of Transport prepares a plan to develop its maritime fleet and enhance operational capabilities

The Ministry of Transport announced today, Tuesday, a plan to develop the operational capabilities of the transport sector and increase its maritime fleet during the current year. The Director of the Ministry’s Media Office, Maitham Al-Safi, confirmed that the Ministry is currently negotiating with a number of companies specialized in the field of maritime transport and logistics services.

He explained that the aim of these negotiations is to transfer modern technology and develop operational capabilities in line with international standards, which enhances Iraq’s position as a strategic centre in the maritime transport sector in the region.

Al-Safi also pointed out that the expansion of the maritime fleet will enhance the national maritime carrier’s ability to compete with global maritime companies, and open new horizons for cooperation with international partners.

While he stressed that the Ministry is committed to applying the highest standards of quality and safety in all its maritime operations, in order to ensure the provision of distinguished and reliable services to its customers.

Burathanews.com

Prime Minister receives phone call from US National Security Advisor, discusses deepening strategic partnership between the two countries

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani affirmed Iraq’s commitment to expanding economic relations with the United States, while the latter indicated that ending the exemption for electricity supplied from Iran is linked to the policy of maximum pressure, as the office stated in a statement that al-Sudani “received a phone call on Sunday evening from US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, where the two sides affirmed their commitment to strengthening and deepening the strategic partnership between Iraq and the United States.”

Discussions focused on “enhancing bilateral cooperation in the economic and security fields,” with the Prime Minister affirming “Iraq’s commitment to expanding economic relations with the United States,” encouraging American companies to “invest in the growing Iraqi market,” and reviewing the important reforms and initiatives implemented by his government to create a more stable, transparent, and attractive environment for investors.

In return, the US National Security Advisor, according to the statement, encouraged “the Prime Minister to rely more on American companies, and to work to solve the problems and remove the obstacles facing those companies operating in Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, to ​​encourage them to work and invest in Iraq.”

The two sides stressed “the importance of joint efforts to build a strong Iraq capable of relying on itself, and the discussions also included addressing issues and the role of American companies operating in this field.”

The United States renewed its “commitment to supporting Iraq’s energy independence” and expressed its readiness to cooperate in accelerating the achievement of this goal.

Regarding the security file, Waltz stressed “the United States’ firm commitment to the security and stability of Iraq in the face of regional and international challenges,” and the two sides stressed the importance of continuing cooperation to ensure Iraq’s sovereignty and stability in the long term, especially in light of the turbulent conditions in the region.

“Ending the exemption for electricity supplied from Iran is linked to the maximum pressure policy, which underscores the importance of bilateral coordination to avoid any potential negative effects on Iraq’s stability,” Waltz added.

Burathanews.com

Iraqi Dinar / US Dollar auction results for Thursday 02-20-2025

The amount:

Total amounts of transfers abroad (transfers, credits)
277,246,760

Total cash withdrawals
15,300,000

Total total sales
292,546,760

Note that: The selling price of documentary credits and international settlements for electronic cards is ( 1310 ) dinars per dollar.

The selling price for transfer amounts abroad is ( 1310 ) dinars per dollar.
The cash selling price is ( 1305 ) dinars per dollar.

cbi.iq/currency_auction

Rafidain Bank announces the launch of an electronic system for processing customer transactions electronically

Rafidain Bank announced today, Thursday, the launch of a new electronic system called Q System to manage and organize customer waiting inside its branches. This system aims to reduce waiting periods and improve customer experience by arranging priorities in providing service.

The General Manager of Rafidain Bank said in a statement received by {Al Furat News}: “We are committed to adopting the latest banking technologies that contribute to providing more efficient and faster services, and the Q System is part of our strategy aimed at improving the customer experience in our branches.”

The director added: “The system has been implemented in more than 27 branches in Baghdad and the governorates, and will gradually be generalized to the rest of the branches, reflecting our commitment to enhancing digital transformation in the banking sector.”

The Q System is characterized by the ability to organize the movement of customers within the branches accurately, as it determines the order of customers according to the service priority and an accurate time estimate for completing transactions. It also helps in reducing chaos and improving operational efficiency within the branches, which enhances customer satisfaction in general.

The bank confirmed that “this step comes within its plan to develop banking services and make them easier and faster, in line with the digital development in the world.

He also said: “We always strive to provide innovative solutions that contribute to raising the level of efficiency of banking operations and achieving greater customer satisfaction.”

Alforatnews.iq

Official denial of the spread of the “counterfeit” Iraqi dinar

In recent days, Iraqi markets have witnessed a wide wave of warnings about the spread of large quantities of counterfeit (25) thousand Iraqi dinars, said to be coming from Iran. While citizens and traders confirm that they have noticed an influx of these suspicious banknotes, the Central Bank of Iraq has categorically denied these allegations, stressing that counterfeiting the national currency is extremely difficult due to the printing standards followed.

Central Bank: There is no truth to the spread of counterfeit currency

A responsible source in the Central Bank of Iraq, who refused to reveal his name, confirmed in a statement to “Baghdad Today” that “the talk about the widespread circulation of counterfeit Iraqi money of the denomination of (25) thousand dinars coming from Iran is absolutely incorrect,” adding that “the international standards that Iraq adopts in printing currency make it extremely difficult to counterfeit it, especially large denominations.”

The source stressed that “the Central Bank’s oversight teams, in cooperation with the security agencies responsible for combating economic crimes, are constantly working to confront attempts to counterfeit currency, and have been able to thwart many attempts before they spread in the markets,” noting that “any counterfeit currency that is circulated is easily exposed to citizens due to the difficulty of imitating the security details present in the national currency.”

Traders and citizens’ opinion: Concerns remain despite denial

In contrast, a merchant working in the Shorja market in Baghdad said, “There is increasing talk among merchants about the influx of counterfeit (25) thousand dinar notes, as some merchants have noticed slight differences in the texture and colors of the banknote,” noting that “merchants are currently dealing with extreme caution when receiving this denomination.”

For his part, the owner of an exchange office in the Karrada area explained that “fears of the spread of counterfeit currency are not new, but in recent days complaints have increased from some citizens who discovered that they had obtained counterfeit papers when dealing with them in some shops,” stressing that “these cases are still limited, but there is a need for stricter oversight by the Central Bank and the security services.”

Experts warn of economic repercussions

Economic expert Mudhar Al-Sabti said in a press interview that “the spread of counterfeit currency, even if it is on a small scale, could affect citizens’ confidence in the local currency and lead to an increase in demand for the dollar as a safe haven,” adding that “the matter requires greater transparency from the Central Bank, so that periodic data is published that shows the extent of counterfeiting attempts and the extent of the success of official bodies in combating them.”

Government and banking procedures

In this context, a high-level security source confirmed to Baghdad Today that “the agencies responsible for combating economic crimes have tightened their control over the markets, especially exchange offices, to ensure that no counterfeit currency is circulated,” noting that “several people involved in attempts to pass counterfeit banknotes have been arrested during the past period.”

Between official denial and popular fears

While the Central Bank of Iraq insists that there is no widespread circulation of counterfeit dinars, concerns persist in the markets with some traders speaking of limited cases of counterfeiting. As the controversy escalates, there remains a need to strengthen financial oversight and deal transparently with citizens to ensure that the Iraqi public’s confidence in its national currency is not affected.

Burathanews.com