Is the US tutelage imposed on the Iraqi economy?

Iraqis and observers are following with great interest the results of the visit of the Iraqi economic delegation to the United States a few days ago, because of its decisive effects on the economic and living conditions of the country, present and in the future, in light of the repercussions of the American-Iranian conflict on the Iraqi arena and the region.

In an attempt to persuade the American administration to ease restrictions on the movement of the dollar that it imposed on Iraq recently to limit massive transfers of Iraqi funds to Iran and some neighboring countries, the Baghdad government sent an economic delegation to Washington that included Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Ali Al-Alaq, senior economists and finance experts, and representatives Some ministries, where the visit raised divergent opinions between the Iraqi delegation’s claim of the success of its mission, and the indications of the failure of the visit and the US imposing its conditions on Iraq.

Failure indicators

Many indicators confirmed the difficulty of the economic delegation’s task in persuading Washington to ease its restrictions imposed on the movement of the Iraqi dollar to limit its flow towards Iran and its allies, as part of the United States’ efforts to control the Iraqi economy by linking it to it and its allies and keeping it away from Iranian influence.
In what appears to be an acknowledgment by the Baghdad government that the US position cannot be changed, the Prime Minister, Muhammad Shia’ al-Sudani, described the attempt to impede the wheel of the economy and return to smuggling and violating the laws as a “losing bet.” Al-Sudani stressed that “the wheel of economic reform is moving forward” and that “whoever bets on going backwards, practicing smuggling, and violating laws and instructions, is a losing bet. ».

This statement coincided with a massive campaign launched by the security authorities against banking companies and banks that buy dollars from the market and smuggle them abroad, where it was announced that many of those involved in this matter were arrested, to limit Iraqi banking companies buying dollars from the market to smuggle it or manipulate its exchange rate. And this came in the wake of the US Federal Reserve’s recent decision to place restrictions on illegal transfers of billions of dollars from Iraq to other countries, which Washington considered a breach of the international sanctions imposed on Iran and its allies.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein, who met in Washington with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, announced that the Iraqi delegation called on the Americans to implement the provisions of the strategic agreement signed by Iraq and the United States in 2011. The Iraqi delegation held numerous meetings with American financial decision makers and the World Bank, in order to convince them of the safety of The Iraqi government’s measures to curb currency smuggling, which is not an easy task in light of the Baghdad governments’ silence on the widespread smuggling of dollars to Iran since 2003. The meetings also discussed the economic situation in Iraq, the problem of banks, the exchange rate of the dollar, the production of gas, oil, electricity, and others.

In order to reassure the American side of the efforts of the Baghdad government to move away from dependence on Iranian oil and gas, Fuad Hussein affirmed, “We are working to achieve independence in the field of energy,” claiming that “Iraq cannot be an oil and gas state and does not have electricity,” stressing that the Iraqi government I recently decided to activate the agreements concluded with various companies to extract gas from the fields, and that agreements will also be concluded with other companies to invest in the field of gas associated with oil, as Iraq is the second country in the world in wasting gas.

US focus on Iraq’s economy

As for US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, he stressed in his speech during the press conference with the Iraqi Foreign Minister, “that his country is working to strengthen the Iraqi economy and reintegrate it into the region within the framework of the strategic relations that link the two countries,” explaining, “We are now focusing very intensively on the economic dimension of that agreement.”

In stressing Iraq’s distance from dependence on Iranian oil and gas, Blinken said: “There will be a special focus on energy and electricity in the strategic framework agreement,” stressing that Iraq “can and must be independent in the field of energy.” It is a reference to the American rejection of the Baghdad government’s dependence on Iranian oil and gas, in conjunction with the deliberate waste of Iraqi gas and the rejection of calls for its investment by local and international companies.

It was noted that Blinken did not address in his statements the main issue related to the movement of the dollar in Iraq, which indicates that the US administration did not change its restrictions and did not respond to the Iraqi demands. Informed sources confirmed that the American position was strict on the need for Iraq to reconsider its banking system, which has large loopholes that allow the smuggling of Iraqi funds to Iran and help it break the blockade and sanctions against it. Washington also revealed that it closely monitors money laundering and currency smuggling in Iraq, and therefore warned Baghdad of the need to control the movement of its dollar, otherwise the Iraqi dinar will be doomed to collapse, as happened with the Syrian and Lebanese pounds.

The joint statement of the two countries stated that they had decided to “accelerate efforts to exploit the burning gas, modernize the infrastructure for natural gas distribution, regional connectivity to the Iraqi electricity network, modernize the electricity infrastructure in Iraq, and explore renewable energy opportunities.” The American delegation praised “Iraq’s commitment to regional electrical interconnection projects with Jordan and Saudi Arabia» They also urged the use of solar energy. The two delegations affirmed “the convergence of views that pursuing an ambitious agenda for energy independence is necessary to achieve maximum economic prosperity for Iraq and protect its sovereignty.”

While the Governor of the Central Bank, Ali Al-Alaq, affirmed the bank’s intention to launch the second package of measures that would enhance the stability of the dollar exchange rate, stressing that “the new electronic platform to avoid the imposition of any penalties on the parties that carry out transfer operations, whether they are banks or others, as it is a protection for the banking sector and the bank.” The Central Bank and the banks from falling into any forms related to foreign financial transfers, and this serves all parties.

Iraqi economic analysts indicated that the US Federal Bank gave Iraq a short period of time to commit to monitoring the movement of its funds, in accordance with international standards, and to avoid money laundering and informal transfers.

Samir Obaid, an academic and expert in political and strategic affairs, revealed, in a series of tweets on his personal page on Twitter, “Washington imposed a number of conditions on Iraq in order to overcome the dollar crisis and smuggle it abroad, and that among the American conditions signed by the Iraqi delegation in Washington is the opening of a federal office in Amman.” His mission is to monitor the movement of Iraqi funds ». He revealed that “Al-Sudani broke the barrier of hesitation and courtesy with the framework leaders (Iran’s allies) and informed them of the strict American conditions signed by the Iraqi delegation in Washington, which have become binding,” he said, which he considered “the imposition of American tutelage on the Iraqi economy by signing them in Washington.”

Shiite criticism

Perhaps the most prominent indicator of the failure of the Iraqi delegation to change the American position is the angry reactions of the forces of the coordination framework allied to Iran, which expressed dissatisfaction with the results of the foreign minister’s move in Washington and pledged to send Prime Minister Muhammad al-Sudani to Washington for this purpose.

The forces of the framework directed various accusations against the United States, at times of seeking to control Iraq and its economy, with calls to get rid of the American financial hegemony over Iraq. In addition to calls for the Sudanese government to sell oil to India, China and other countries, in currencies other than the dollar, away from the US financial system that controls the world economy. While some framework sources stated that Washington took the oil export agreement to Jordan through the (Basra-Aqaba) pipeline as one of the conditions for resolving the dollar crisis, others claimed that the Russian-Chinese-French move towards Iraq recently prompted Washington to impose restrictions to put pressure on the Iraqi government economically.

Away from intentions and goals, observers see that the American measures are welcomed by most Iraqis, as they are beneficial to their country and limit the drain of Iraq’s funds by other countries. They also see that the decisions of the US Federal Bank are systematic and deliberate to direct the Iraqi economy and prevent its exploitation by Iran and its allies. As for the Baghdad government, which has fallen between the American rock and the Iranian anvil, it has no choice but to abide by the American restrictions, despite the pressure exerted on it by the Iraqi loyalist forces, which reflects Iran’s unwillingness to abandon the Iraqi milking cow, amid anticipation of the next Iranian steps to circumvent the American decisions.

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The battle between al-Maliki and al-Halbousi explodes the alliance of sovereignty

The war of settling scores waged by the leader of the State of Law bloc, Nuri al-Maliki, against Speaker of Parliament Muhammad al-Halbousi is approaching its end after the collapse of the Sovereignty Alliance that brings together the Taqaddam Party led by al-Halbousi and the Azm Alliance headed by Khamis al-Khanjar, and the withdrawal of five deputies from the Taqaddam Party.

At that time, one of the first things that Al-Suleiman said in the attack on Al-Halbousi was that “after Anbar suffered from projects of extremism and terrorism and turned into a stage of domination, dictatorship, silencing mouths and corruption, we announce to them from Baghdad that these actions will be met with a reaction that the owners of the projects of normalization and division and those who stole rights would not expect.” component, and whoever claims leadership must understand that this is the last chance.”

And the leader of the Progressive Party, Representative Haibat al-Halbousi, announced the imminent end of the Sovereignty Coalition, due to the coalition partners’ non-compliance with national covenants and constants, referring to the Coalition of Resolve, adding that “the reasons behind the near end of the Sovereignty Coalition are the primacy of the personal interests of most of the political partners in the coalition.” The coalition, and the deviation of many of them from political agreements, in addition to attempts to split the political ranks, whether in the House of Representatives or in the provinces that we represent.

Maliki loyalists and opponents of al-Halbousi say that monopolizing power and making decisions without returning to the rest of the political parties or belonging to one party and allied together are the most prominent reasons that prompted some parties within the Sovereignty Alliance to leave this alliance and announce their defection from it.

The deputies who decided to break with Al-Halbousi’s leadership from the Taqaddam party are Falah Al-Zaidan, Latif Al-Warshan, Adel Al-Mahlawi, and Youssef Al-Sabawi.

Along with the emir of the Dulaim tribes, Sheikh Abu Risha emerged as one of the new opponents of Al-Halbusi, as he considered that Anbar was “enslaved” by him

The crisis began in the Sovereignty Coalition after MP Raad al-Dahlaki withdrew from the coalition, and Laith al-Dulaimi “accepted the resignation” of the membership of the House of Representatives, amid accusations of the Speaker of Parliament abusing his position to target his critics.

While the coalition announced that “the departure of any deputy, member, or cadre from among the ranks of its two parties in Taqadum or the Arab Project, is a definitive departure from the ranks of the coalition,” however, the leader of Azm Mishaan al-Jubouri coalition said that this statement does not express sovereignty, Because it is issued only by Al-Halbousi and not by Al-Khanjar, and he is the only one authorized to make decisions according to his internal system approved by the Commission. Al-Jubouri accused Al-Halbousi of kidnapping the Sunni component and turning it into a means of gains for himself and those around him.

“The defections that always occur, whether at the level of sovereignty or political blocs, for many deputies come because of the uniqueness of the head of the bloc in decisions and positions,” said the representative of the State of Law, Muhammad al-Saihoud. He added, “Al-Halbousi works with well-known regional agendas that do not serve the interests of Iraq, as it has become better to remove him from office and nominate another alternative figure for him to head Parliament, especially since there is a rejection by the Sunni house of the continuation of this figure in power.”

Al-Maliki seeks, by liquidating the influence of Al-Halbousi, to remove him as the leader of the Sunni bloc, in favor of fragmentations distributed between tribal alliances, small competing parties, and opposing and warring personalities among themselves, but their survival can be guaranteed alongside the coordination framework, of which Al-Maliki is the most prominent leader.

Al-Halbousi’s alliance with Muqtada al-Sadr was the turning point that prompted al-Maliki to decide to seek his removal from the Sunni political map, just as Osama al-Nujaifi, Speaker of Parliament, was removed between 2010 and 2014.

As for al-Maliki himself, he had previously considered the Taqaddam Party a face of the Baath Party. And he was heard in the famous audio leak of him saying that “the Shiites are in danger, because the Baathists have now risen to dangerous ranks, entered the core of the state, and established parties under the title ‘Progress’, which is led by Muhammad al-Halbousi, an old party, established by one of the personalities, but he died Al-Halbousi received it after him.

Al-Halbousi, for his part, tried to win over some of his opponents. He succeeded in sponsoring a tribal reconciliation between the Emir of the Dulaim tribes and the head of the Awakening Conference in Anbar Province.

However, this attempt did not escape criticism, as the leader of the Azm coalition, Faisal Al-Shawka, said that Al-Halbousi is trying to win over tribal sheikhs by distributing positions, while Anbar province suffers from marginalization and lack of services and infrastructure due to the Al-Halbousi party’s mismanagement of the city.

Observers say that the war against al-Halbousi is not limited to personal revenge for a situation that almost threatens the survival of the coordination framework, but also aims to fragment the Sunni component to ensure that it remains weak and so that it is possible to win over some of its parties and not others.

And they add that with the disintegration of the sovereignty alliance and the emergence of new competitors, the ground on which al-Halbousi stands becomes in a state of cracks, which makes him weak even if he succeeds in remaining as a secondary party among other Sunni parties.

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Al-Maliki’s coalition renews its position: There is no need for US forces in Iraq

Information / special… Today, the State of Law Coalition reaffirmed its position on the lack of need for various foreign forces inside Iraq, and while Washington’s allegations of the presence of these forces for training are “incorrect”, it confirmed that Iraq has a large army and combat forces such as the popular crowd.

And the House of Representatives had obligated, on January 5, 2020, the government to cancel the request for security assistance from the international coalition, and work to end the presence of any foreign forces on Iraqi soil and prevent them from using its lands, airspace and waters for any reason.

There is an agreement among all the leaders of the coordination framework regarding the lack of need for the presence of US and other foreign forces allied with Washington in the country, according to the speech of the leader of the coalition, Fadel Mawat, to Al-Maalouma.

Iraq has a large army – according to Mouwat’s words – and other fighting forces such as the Popular Mobilization Forces and the Federal Police, which are capable of preserving the external and internal security of the country, adding, “As for the presence of American forces fighting with this intensity inside Iraq, there is no need for it.”

Mawat stated, “The presence of these forces today is unjustified and constitutes a major problem for the sovereignty of Iraq, especially since the country has exited Chapter Seven,” pointing out that “Al-Sudani is consistent with this idea and demands the removal of US forces from Iraq.”

Today, Sunday, the Prime Minister, Muhammad Shia’a al-Sudani, reaffirmed his position that Iraq does not need foreign combat forces, but rather the need for advisory missions only without prejudice to Iraq’s sovereignty.

The leader of Maliki’s coalition confirmed, “There is an agreement with the American side in 2011 through which all these forces withdrew, but their return was through some weak personalities who took over the prime minister.”

And the leader of the coalition considered: “Washington’s allegations that these forces are used for consultations inside Iraq only, are false and incorrect.”

The representative of the Al-Fateh Alliance, Muhammad Karim, confirmed, earlier, that “the foreign forces are focusing on the issue of training the Iraqi army in order to ensure that they stay inside Iraqi territory to implement their malicious plans.”

Almaalomah.me

Parliamentary Finance: The dollar crisis will last for the next two months

Information/Baghdad… The Parliamentary Finance Committee expected, on Sunday, that the dollar price crisis will continue for the next two months, indicating that the government has not been able to fully control currency smuggling so far.

Member of the committee, Representative Jamal Cougar, said in a statement reported by Al-Sabah newspaper, seen by Al-Malooma, that “the fluctuations of the dollar depend on supply and demand.

The difference will be significant.” It is expected that “the current situation will remain for the next two months or more.”

And the deputy stated that “dollar smuggling depends on the fact that there are two types of dollars sold in cash, as the first is sold in the form of hawala bonds, and the second is sold in cash, which is smuggled at a rate of 20 percent, and the government has not controlled it until now.”

Almaalomah.me

The Iraqi Central Bank affirms its determination to stabilize exchange rates

The issue of turmoil in exchange rates and the resulting and resulting significant rise in the prices of basic commodities and foodstuffs is still a matter of concern and concern to the Iraqi authorities and ordinary citizens alike, especially with the lack of market response to the decision to raise the value of the dinar against the dollar by the central bank and the government, to 1300. A dinar against one dollar, after it was 1460 dinars for a dollar, and the lack of response was represented in one of its dimensions by keeping the exchange rate parallel to the official price at the ceiling of 1520 dinars to one dollar.

And within the framework of a series of statements made by Iraqi officials to restore exchange rates to their previous state, the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Ali Al-Alaq, affirmed, yesterday, Wednesday, the central bank’s determination to stabilize the exchange rate of the dollar.

Al-Alaq said, to the official news agency, that “the new electronic platform to avoid any penalties imposed on the parties that carry out transfer operations, whether they are banks or others, as it is a protection for the banking sector, the central bank and banks from falling into any problem related to external financial transfers, and this serves all parties.” ».

Regarding the exchange rate of the dollar, which is still high compared to its official rate, Al-Alaq explained that “the responsibility of the central bank is to close the difference in the exchange rate, and our steps are serious and vigorous, and we receive great support from all parties to achieve the goal,” adding that “our discussions with the International Monetary Fund were fruitful.” Very much, and we agreed on programs that serve directly and indirectly to achieve this goal.

In turn, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, the economic advisor to the Prime Minister, said, “The electronic platform imposed by the US Treasury on central bank sales is a security officer for selling the currency.”

Saleh added, in press statements, that “the decrease in the sale of the currency by the Central Bank came due to old accumulations or its rejection by the electronic platform.”

For the first time, the government advisor reveals the percentages of money that are being smuggled to neighboring countries through the currency auction, where he said: “There is a fraud by taking the currency abroad by hiding it by importing materials that do not benefit the Iraqi people,” stressing that “the rate of counterfeiting currency transfers abroad reached 20%.

Saleh promised, “The main reason for the dollar crisis is the lack of control over the borders, which is a major sovereign issue, and it is necessary to control foreign transfers.”

On an issue related to the exchange rate crisis, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein said, yesterday, Wednesday, that the Iraqi delegation in Washington had reached an agreement with US officials regarding the dollar.

Hussein confirmed, in statements to “Voice of America,” that “an agreement was reached with American officials regarding the dollar, oil, gas, electricity, and a number of other issues,” noting that “Iraq imports most of its needs from abroad, and buys needs in dollars, so most of the dollars Go abroad for trade, but there was no organized mechanism to withdraw dollars from the central bank and Iraqi markets ».

The minister explained, “Iraq has taken banking measures, and now there is a mechanism. I see that the currency issue will be resolved gradually, and that the Americans have put in place a mechanism to monitor the withdrawal of the dollar, which affected the price, and this will stabilize step by step.”

Hussein continued, “Iraqi society imports almost everything from abroad, and we only sell oil, and the import needs the dollar, and this is the reason for the exit of the dollar from Iraq, and we did not have a mechanism to regulate the exit of the dollar, and we put in place a mechanism to regulate the currency and control the movement of the dollar.”

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A joint committee between Baghdad and Erbil to prepare the oil and gas law

Shafaq News / The Media and Information Department of the Kurdistan Regional Government announced, on Sunday, that the Kurdish delegation agreed with the Federal Ministry of Oil to form a joint committee to prepare and write the oil and gas law.

The department stated, in a statement received by Shafaq News agency, that this agreement was reached during the delegation’s meeting with the Federal Ministry of Oil, after its arrival today, Sunday, in Baghdad, to resume negotiations on the outstanding issues.

It is scheduled that the Kurdish delegation will hold several meetings with government agencies in Baghdad to discuss issues related to oil, the budget, the disputed areas and the region’s financial dues.

Shafaq.com

Parliamentary planning expects the date of the arrival of the budget.. “The discussions in Baghdad and Erbil are continuing.”

Information / special… The Parliamentary Federal Strategic Planning and Service Committee expected, today, Sunday, that the file for approving the budget law for the year 2023 will soon be resolved, while confirming the continuation of discussions between the governments of Baghdad and Erbil.

The deputy head of the committee, Muhammad Karim, said in an interview with Al-Maalouma, that “the discussion of the 2023 budget file between the governments of Baghdad and Erbil continues until a final agreement is reached,” noting that “the budget file will be resolved soon, and there is nothing left to approve it.”

He added, “The Kurdish delegation came to Baghdad several times, and held several meetings with the Baghdad government, and matters related to the budget will be resolved and approved after the agreement.”

A member of the Parliamentary Planning Committee explained that “the budget law has not yet reached Parliament for a vote,” pointing out that “his committee is awaiting the arrival of the law in order to be studied and presented to the House of Representatives.”

And the Prime Minister, Muhammad Shia Al-Sudani, had confirmed that the approval of the budget law for the year 2023 will take place soon, after completing the final details and sending them to Parliament.

It is noteworthy that a delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government arrived last week in Baghdad. With the aim of finding a joint agreement with the government regarding the region’s share in the budget, provided that it does not contradict the decision of the Federal Court.

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Al-Maliki’s coalition pledges approval of the budget to resolve the differences between Erbil and Baghdad

Shafaq News / The representative of the State of Law bloc, Muhammad Al-Shammari, pledged, on Sunday, the approval of the draft budget law for the current year, to resolve the differences and outstanding issues between Erbil and Baghdad.

Al-Shammari said, in a statement to Shafaq News agency, that the differences and outstanding issues between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government, in addition to changing the exchange rate of the dollar, all of these matters caused a delay in voting on the draft budget law in the Council of Ministers.

He added that voting on the budget law and sending it to Parliament is linked to resolving the differences between Erbil and Baghdad, but he added that there is no specific date for sending the budget law to Parliament.

Last week, a delegation from the Kurdistan Regional Government visited the capital, Baghdad, and engaged in a round of dialogues with the ministries of finance, planning, and oil, to return today to resume discussions about the region’s share of the budget, in addition to working on the legislation of the oil and gas law and other issues.

It is noteworthy that the financial budget for the past year 2022 was not approved by the Council of Ministers and the House of Representatives due to the turmoil that Iraq witnessed after the early elections in October 2021, which escalated to dangerous levels that ended with the events of the Green Zone, with armed confrontations between supporters of the Sadrist movement and the security forces, which claimed lives. Dozens and hundreds injured.

After the end of the crisis, with the agreement of the political blocs to elect the President of the Republic and to grant confidence to the government of Prime Minister Muhammad Shia’a al-Sudani, the latter pledged that he would present the draft federal budget law for the year 2023 as soon as possible.

Shafaq.com

Parliamentary Finance reveals the results of the Iraqi delegation’s visit to Washington

Information / Baghdad… Member of the Parliamentary Finance Committee, Faisal Al-Naeli, revealed, on Saturday, the results achieved by the Iraqi delegation during his visit to Washington, noting that the delegation discussed with Washington lifting the restrictions imposed by the US Federal Bank on Iraq.

Al-Naeli said in an interview with Al-Maalouma agency, that “the Iraqi delegation’s visit to Washington came to come to an understanding about the dollar crisis,” adding that “the delegation discussed with Washington lifting the restrictions imposed by the US Federal Bank on Iraq,” and pointed out that “the negotiations reached multiple agreements”. This led to the Iraqi government being able to reduce the dollar in the last period.

He continued, “The Federal Bank’s actions restricted the movement of the dollar and delayed money transfers from the Central Bank to banks abroad.”

Ali Al-Fatlawi, a member of the Al-Fateh Alliance, accused the US of playing on the economy’s chord in order to achieve and implement its policies, pointing out that America is behind raising the value of the dollar currency in the Iraqi markets in order to achieve its goals.

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Baghdad and Washington will monitor the movement of the dollar through a mechanism

Shafaq News / The Iraqi Foreign Minister, Fouad Hussein revealed Thursday, a mechanism to monitor the movement of the US currency (the dollar) through the Iraqi government and the US Treasury Department, and while he indicated that each country has its own policy for dealing with countries such as Iran, he stressed that Iraq still needs forces American provides advice, training and exchange of security information.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein said in an interview with the Kurdish service on “Voice of America” ​​radio, which was seen by Shafak News Agency, that “Washington and Baghdad have agreed on a mechanism that will make it difficult for dollars to move without the knowledge of the Iraqi government and the US Treasury,” adding that “it did not go To visit Washington, to say that the dollar should not enter this or that country.”

Voice of America radio added that “the radio interview with Hussein dealt with his country’s strategic relations with the United States, the presence of foreign forces, and Iran’s influence,” while the Iraqi minister said that he “discussed in Washington the issue of the sharp decline in the value of the dinar, and that the Central Bank of Iraq took a number Of the measures that appear in this regard,” expressing his belief that “the price of the currency is slowly stabilizing.”

Hussein pointed out that “a system has been put in place through which Baghdad and Washington can monitor the destination of the money,” explaining that “under the new system, it will be difficult for dollars to be moved without the knowledge of the Iraqi government and the US Treasury,” adding that “a mechanism has been put in place To regulate the flow of dollars” from Iraq.

On the most important goals of Washington’s visit and the issue of the dinar, Hussein explained that “the main reason for our coming is to strengthen ties, especially in the fields of finance and economy, and among these issues is related to the currency. I believe that the discussions we had with the US Treasury and the Federal Reserve have reached a good result. The bank has taken The Iraqi Central Bank has a number of measures that seem to be supported.”

When the radio asked him about the steps taken by the Iraqi government to prevent money from going to Iran, the Iraqi minister explained that “the Iraqi society buys everything from abroad, from agricultural materials to foodstuffs, medicines and industrial goods, and if you look at Iraq’s trade or its trade balance with other countries, You will find that everything comes from abroad, as the Iraqi market and the Iraqi government spend a lot of dollars on that.”

And the Iraqi Foreign Minister stated, “For this, the dollar going abroad is a good thing if it is related to trade, but there was no mechanism for how to issue dollars from the central bank and who would get them from the Iraqi market and how they would go abroad, but now, a mechanism has been put in place to organize the movement Dollar This mechanism slowly controls the flow of dollars through smuggling or for other purposes.

When the American radio asked him if this mechanism would prevent dollars from entering Iran through Iraq, Hussein said, “We did not come to say that the dollar should not enter this or that country. We came here to regulate the conditions of the dollar in the Iraqi market, when it is regulated in the market.” Iraqi, this means that dealing in US dollars will be normal.

The minister continued, saying that “under the new system, it will be more difficult for dollars to go to another place without the knowledge of the Iraqi government and the US Treasury.”

In response to a question about issues that had not been agreed upon with the Americans, Hussein said, “We did not come here to agree on everything. They have their own policies, for example, they have their own policy towards Russia, and they have their own policy towards Iran. For us, Iran is a neighboring country, and we are We deal with it differently, that’s a fact.”

Regarding the position of the Iraqi factions regarding the presence of foreign forces, Hussein said, “It is clear that there is a need for the US forces that are still in Iraq to remain, for the security and military interests of Iraq.” He added, “Let me clarify something: These are not combat forces. Based on a mutual agreement, these American forces provide advice and training to the Iraqi army and the Peshmerga forces. They also helped us exchange intelligence information, especially with regard to (ISIS) terrorists.”

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