Proof of source of funds and vague fees: Institutional obstacles hindering trade regulation in Iraq

Manar Al-Obaidi, head of the “Iraq Future” Foundation for Economic Studies and Consultations, criticized on Saturday the obstacles and impediments facing traders in Iraq from the stage of establishing their companies and projects through obtaining hard currency to the banking procedures related to this matter, warning of the consequences of the bureaucracy facing the labor market and its impact on increasing the unemployment rate in the country. Financialnews aggregation

Al-Obaidi said in a detailed post, “After more than three years of implementing the external transfer restrictions, it is not enough to repeat the demand for traders to deal with banks, and then interpret the continued resort of some of them to the parallel market as merely a refusal to comply,” adding, “We are asking the trader to become a banking regulator, while he faces complications from the moment he registers his business.”

According to the World Bank’s Doing Business 2020 report, Iraq ranked 154th out of 190 economies in ease of starting a business, with an average of 8.5 procedures and 26.5 days to establish a company and officially begin its operations, based on the case studied in Baghdad.

The economist stressed that “these figures reveal that the obstacles to establishing businesses preceded the external transfer restrictions by years,” noting that “tightening the transfer requirements needed a parallel reform to make fulfilling them possible.”

State dues

Al-Ubaidi noted that “taxes, social security, fees, and other obligations should be clear and calculable before a merchant makes his decision. However, the abundance of instructions, their overlap, and the difficulty in understanding their application make the final cost unclear to him.”

He pointed out that “the merchant can include a known fee within the cost of his goods, but it is difficult for him to plan for a commitment whose amount or timing he does not know. This is in addition to the financial extortion he is subjected to, which exceeds the money he pays to the state, which accumulates the cost of his trade whenever entering the formal sector becomes linked to uncertainty and its weak attractiveness, even if it allows obtaining currency at the official rate.”

Proof of source of funds

Al-Ubaidi pointed out that “a trader who has been working for twenty years, buying and selling for cash, and reinvesting his profits in merchandise, but he does not have regular financial statements or complete historical records. Today he is required to provide documents explaining how his capital was formed,” indicating that “his activity may be legitimate, but his commercial history is not documented in the way that the bank needs. Here the gap appears: he has an existing business and accumulated funds, but he does not have the financial file that allows verification of them.”

He stressed that “this gap needs institutional treatment: a clear path for documenting the activity and sources of funds, accounting assistance, and requirements that are commensurate with the size of the activity and its risks, without dropping verification or being lenient with illicit funds. A financial record that has not been built over years will not appear simply by issuing new instructions.”

Banking obstacles

The economist stressed that “even a merchant who fulfills his requirements may encounter a bank that does not find sufficient benefit in serving him,” noting that “a small transfer requires verification of the identity of the client, the beneficiary, the source of funds, the invoice, and the purpose of the transfer,” pointing out that “a large part of this work is also required for a large transfer, while the return from a small one may be much less.”

The head of the “Iraq of the Future” Foundation warned that “this disparity creates an incentive for some banks to favor large transfers and set limits or conditions that exclude small ones, and the result is that the merchant whom we ask to move to official channels may not find a banking service suitable for the size of his business.”

Al-Ubaidi ruled out a decline in reliance on the parallel market if the official alternative remains difficult to access, unclear in cost, and limited in service to small traders, calling for the importance of finding alternative solutions that rely on technology and automation to regulate trade and link traders with approved suppliers, banks, and shipping companies.

Digital solutions for businesses

The economist suggested “a digital solution that the merchant enters with a small purchase order, which helps him complete his file, provides a documented invoice from an approved supplier, clarifies the cost of purchase, shipping and fees, collects similar orders, and links payment to the arrival and receipt of goods. Thus, with each transaction, the merchant creates a commercial and financial record that can be referred to.”

He added that “the success of these digital solutions requires that they be accompanied by simpler procedures for registering businesses, declared and accountable government dues, an approved path for documenting funds, and a banking commitment to serving small transactions.”

Al-Ubaidi concluded, “Either we place obstacles, impediments, and ambiguity before the merchant, demonizing him under the pretext that he is the one creating currency market speculation, or we demonstrate a clear lack of understanding of the market and the commercial sector.” He added, “Every small merchant represents a job opportunity for five people directly and five indirectly,” and warned that “the cessation of any merchant’s work, or the decline in his business, means the loss of ten direct and indirect job opportunities in a market where unemployment rates are already high.”

The economist concluded by saying, “Whoever wants to reduce the parallel market must make the official route usable. The trader needs a door he can enter through, a cost he knows in advance, and a bank that accepts his service.”

Shafaq.com

Iraq is the third largest Arab country in terms of gold holdings during the month.

Data from the World Gold Council for September 2026 showed that the total gold reserves of the Arab countries listed in the table of the top 100 holders amounted to 1,649.1 tons. Businessnews alerts

Saudi Arabia topped the list of Arab countries with reserves of 323.1 tons, followed by Lebanon with 286.8 tons, then Iraq with 175.6 tons, Algeria with 173.6 tons, and Libya with 146.7 tons.

The list also included Egypt with 129.7 tons, Qatar with 116.2 tons, Kuwait with 79 tons, Jordan with 77.8 tons, the UAE with 74.5 tons, Syria with 25.8 tons, Morocco with 22.1 tons, Tunisia with 6.8 tons, Oman with 6.7 tons, and Bahrain with 4.7 tons.

The total gold reserves of all countries and entities listed in the table of the top 100 holders amounted to approximately 36,478 tons, with the holdings of Arab countries, amounting to 1,649.1 tons, constituting approximately 4.52% of the total gold listed in the table.

The World Gold Council’s table includes the top 100 gold holders, and in addition to countries, it includes some official institutions. The Council’s data shows that the data sources include central banks, the International Monetary Fund, and other official sources.

Shafaq.com

The coordination framework calls for de-escalation and sets a deadline for addressing the weapons issue.

The Coordination Framework affirmed on Saturday the importance of continuing to strengthen the state of institutions and the rule of law, calling on all parties to fully commit to a comprehensive truce.

The framework stated in a statement that the responsible positions of the factions towards the public interest and their commitment to the agreement document are appreciated, noting that this came after a great effort led during the past period by sincere parties.

The framework expressed its deep gratitude to the supreme religious authority, which it described as “the safety valve of the nation,” and extended its highest congratulations to the sons of the Iraqi people, especially the security forces in all their formations and branches, in appreciation of their role in defending the homeland and preserving its dignity and sovereignty. Iraqtravel guides

The Coordination Framework appreciated the International Coalition’s commitment to withdraw from Iraq within the specified timeframe, after it had played a major role in combating terrorism. It also thanked the Quartet Committee for its efforts, stressing the need for it to continue its work at the same pace until June 30, 2027, the agreed-upon deadline for implementing the constitutional article related to addressing the issue of weapons.

In closing, the Coordination Framework expressed the high capacity of the government and the state, which enables them to preserve all components of Iraq and make Iraq a safe investment environment.

Burathanews.com

MP Safaa Al-Jabri: Setting a date to finalize the completion of the government cabinet

The Sadiqun parliamentary bloc announced on Friday that the completion of the government cabinet is scheduled to be finalized next week.

MP Safaa Al-Jabri, speaking on the Al-Sumaria TV program “Al-Ala’na,” said that “a session is expected to be held on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week to vote on completing the government cabinet.”

In response to a question about the possibility of Sadiqun giving up its entitlement, he affirmed that “the bloc will take its electoral entitlement,” noting that “the talk is initially about the Ministry of Labor and the Deputy Prime Minister.”

Regarding the existence of external reservations about some names, Al-Jabri said that the file “has been dealt with,” considering that “the Prime Minister played a successful role in managing it and balancing the competing forces within the coordination framework.”

He confirmed that “the matter is expected to be resolved by the middle of next week at best, or the following week at worst.”

When asked whether Laith al-Khazali was still in contention for the position of Deputy Prime Minister, al-Jabri replied: “God willing.”

Burathanews.com

Al-Hasnawi: We are ready to pass the Popular Mobilization Forces law without any compromises or bargaining.

MP Mohammed al-Hassnawi, from the Rights Movement, confirmed the intention and determination to pass the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) law in Parliament, away from any political bargaining or compromises, after the government announced the completion of the law and placed the onus on Parliament.

Al-Hassnawi told Al-Maalouma, “The PMF law will be passed in Parliament, and it will absolutely not be allowed to become a bargaining chip or subject to political maneuvering, given that this group defended Iraq and protected its land and honor.”

He added, “Voting and passing the PMF law is not a favor or a gift from the Parliament to this large segment of society that has sacrificed for the nation. No one will be allowed to claim that passing this law is a charitable act towards the PMF.”

He explained that “the law will be passed in Parliament as soon as it arrives from the government, despite some dissenting voices that do not wish Iraq well and seek to keep its sovereignty incomplete,” noting that “there is a strong push to pass the PMF law and keep it out of the realm of political maneuvering.”

The Cabinet voted during its last session to approve the Popular Mobilization Forces Law in order to send it to the Council of Representatives for review, discussion, and legislation, after the government failed to pass the law during the previous parliamentary session. Iraqtravel guides

Almaalomah.me

Al-Zarkoushi: Four names are on the table for deciding the Ministries of Interior and Defense… and the decision awaits consensus and voting.

Member of the Coordination Framework, Abdul Samad al-Zarkoushi, confirmed on Friday that four names have been put forward as candidates for the Ministries of Interior and Defense, noting that the final selection of candidates will be made through political consensus and a vote in Parliament.

Al-Zarkoushi explained to Al-Maalouma that “the Ministries of Interior and Defense are important sovereign security ministries, and they shape the management of the security file in the country in general.”

He added that “four names have been put forward so far for the two ministries, including three high-ranking officers, and it is not possible at this time to definitively say who will head each ministry, as the matter is subject to political agreement and the presentation of names to Parliament.”

He indicated that “all signs point to the remaining ministerial portfolios in Ali al-Zaidi’s government being finalized in the coming days, given the intensified meetings scheduled for next week.”

He pointed out that “the intensified meetings may pave the way for scheduling a parliamentary session to proceed with presenting and finalizing the names of candidates for the nine remaining ministerial portfolios, particularly the Ministries of Interior and Defense.”

Almaalomah.me

The Iraqi protest movement calls for an end to the mechanism for transferring oil revenues through the US Federal Reserve.

The head of the Iraqi protest movement, Ammar al-Tamimi, called on Friday for an end to the mechanism of transferring Iraqi oil sales revenues through the US Federal Reserve, noting that the continuation of this mechanism undermines national sovereignty and gives Washington leverage over Baghdad.

Al-Tamimi explained to Al-Maalouma that “Iraqi oil sales in international markets have their proceeds paid to the US Federal Reserve before the funds are delivered to Baghdad in installments, and therefore this mechanism means that Washington is holding onto Iraq’s money.”

He added that “oil sales constitute more than 90% of Iraq’s annual financial revenues, and therefore the continuation of this mechanism represents a pressure tactic on Baghdad.”

He pointed out that “maintaining this mechanism infringes on national sovereignty, therefore we call for the funds to be transferred directly to Baghdad, without going through the US Federal Reserve or any other foreign entity.”

Al-Tamimi emphasized that “sovereignty must be political and economic, and this would enhance Baghdad’s ability to finance projects, especially those that contribute to supporting stability in various sectors.”

Almaalomah.me

Iraqi Foreign Minister from Washington: We do not want a new war in the region

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein fears a renewed US-Iranian war and its impact on Iraq’s economy and security. In an interview with Radio Free Europe , he offered Baghdad’s readiness to mediate between Washington and Tehran, describing the end of the US military presence in Iraq as a “new chapter” that paves the way for strengthening relations further. Financialnews aggregation

In an interview conducted in Washington, D.C., and translated by Shafaq News Agency, Hussein said: “I believe that every war must end, and when we talk about the end of the war, this means returning to diplomacy. In fact, diplomacy should be the right channel to solve the problem.”

He stressed: “The current conflict in the Gulf, the war between the United States and Iran, must end. We have no alternative but diplomatic channels.”

In response to a radio question about whether he was worried about the US-Iran conflict and its spread in the region, Hussein said, “It has already become a wider conflict. It is not just a conflict between the United States and Iran. Iraq has suffered a lot, and we have, in fact, become a victim of this conflict.”

He continued: “Economically speaking, we are victims because of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz for a period of time, so we were unable to export our oil. Now, we are doing so, but we are still concerned about what is happening around the Strait of Hormuz.”

The radio station quoted Hussein as saying: “We too have been attacked. By the countries involved in the conflict several times. So we hope that this conflict will end, and that there will be peace in that region.”

After Hussein pointed out that he is in continuous discussion with the Iranian and American sides and with other countries, he said that Iraq “encourages all these countries to return to the negotiating table and resolve the problem through negotiation. When we were in New York, during the meetings of the United Nations General Assembly, there was a round of talks between the Iranian side and the Americans, and we were very pleased with those talks. But unfortunately, once again, they did not reach an agreement.”

When the radio station asked him whether Baghdad was ready to mediate directly between Washington and Tehran, the Iraqi minister said, “In order to mediate between the two parties, they have to ask for it, they have to bring up the idea with you, and in any case, if we are contacted, we are ready.”

He added: “I think Iraq is in an excellent position to arrange meetings between the two sides. But we need, first and foremost, for both sides to come closer to us.”

Commenting on US President Donald Trump’s announcement that the latest Iranian proposals were “not enough” and what Iraq’s vision is of what the two sides should do, Hussein said: “I do not want to interfere in the international politics of the United States and Iraq, but what we want is for these two countries to meet and resolve their problems through negotiation.”

Regarding Trump’s announcement that military operations could resume, and what that means for Iraq, Hussein explained, “I believe that these kinds of problems will not be solved through military action, and we do not support the idea of ​​war, nor do we want to be part of a war.”

He added: “We, the Iraqis, have suffered greatly from wars, as the Iraqi government during the Saddam Hussein era was at war with many countries, and as a result of the wars, the Iraqi infrastructure was destroyed. There are thousands of Iraqis who were lost and killed during the war.”

He continued, explaining that “we can say that two or three generations were born during wars and were educated through a culture of war, and that is why we are fundamentally against war, and we do not like to wage war, and of course, we want to protect our country from war. That is why we do not want to be part of any war, and we reiterate that conflicts can be resolved through negotiation and not through the use of military means.”

Regarding the situation in the Strait of Hormuz and the fate of Iraq’s exports, Hussein said, “About two or three weeks ago, we were able to export our oil, so we are happy about that. But in reality, we are worried if the war starts again, and the Strait of Hormuz will be full of military operations that will prevent our oil exports, and this will create a big problem.” Iraqeconomic news

He pointed out that “the Iraqi economy depends heavily on income from oil sales, and if we are unable to export our oil, this means less income for our country, and this will create a big problem for us.”

Regarding the “historic moment” of the end of the American military mission in Iraq, Hussein said it was “a new page in our political situation, because the Americans were there from 2003 until 2011. Then they left, and because of the attacks of terrorists and groups, the Americans returned again.”

He added: “But it’s not just the Americans. Many allies returned to Iraq to fight and destroy the terrorist organization. We worked together. We disagreed together. We are, first and foremost, grateful to the American people, the American government, and the other allies who were with us when we needed them, fought together, and destroyed ISIS.”

He continued, “This is important in our history. And now they have left. This does not mean that we will have a different policy, a different relationship. We will strengthen our relationship with the United States, but in other different areas, of course: the economy, energy, and politics. But we also plan to start discussions with the American side, so that we can reach a security agreement at the bilateral level.”

He added that it is “a new chapter in Iraqi sovereignty, and also represents a new chapter in our relationship with the United States.”

Regarding Iraq’s ability to prevent armed groups from dragging it into another regional war, Hussein said, “There are negotiations currently underway between Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and those groups, and we have reached a good understanding with the various armed groups. They have announced that they will support the government’s plan. There are two other groups that have not announced this, so we hope that we can resolve this issue through talks with the leaders of these groups.”

Shafaq.com

Al-Zaydi announces the completion of the pillars of Iraqi sovereignty and identifies 6 pillars for the new phase

Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi sponsored the “Sovereignty Day” conference on Thursday evening, in the presence of Speaker of Parliament Hebat al-Halbousi, President of the Kurdistan Region Nechirvan Barzani, a number of officials and leaders of national political forces, and heads of diplomatic missions represented in Iraq. Dailynews reports

Al-Zaydi said in a speech he delivered on the occasion, according to a statement received by Shafaq News Agency, that this day crowns the efforts of Iraqis with an achievement befitting Iraq and its sovereignty, and reaps the fruits of patience and hard work.

He added that “Iraq is a country in which the foundations of political, economic and security sovereignty are established, and the rule of law is applied throughout its territory, and its wealth is in the hands of Iraqis in accordance with the constitution,” explaining that “sovereignty represents the people’s decision and their insistence on the existence and prestige of the state, and it is the basic meaning of the comprehensive national identity.”

Al-Zaydi continued, saying: “Twenty years ago, the Iraqis chose their permanent constitution in a phase that witnessed challenges and terrorism allied with the remnants of dictatorship and the forces of destruction,” explaining that “the Iraqis succeeded in all the difficult tests, reaching the present moment in which our people renew their decision to protect the state and its system, and close the way to those who take the public interest as an outlet for their own private interests.”

He added that “the government has confronted the scourge of corruption, and its efforts in this regard have supported sovereignty and prevented sinful hands from violating public funds,” noting that “the government has realized the importance of sovereignty upon which the future of our people is based, and we decided in our government program to adhere to it and strengthen its national principles.”

He added: “The supreme religious authority was not far from this national decision when it indicated on every occasion to work towards achieving a better future, enforcing the rule of law, and controlling weapons in the hands of the state. Let us start from the days of sovereignty, and make its meanings a national awareness that is translated into reality, and let us draw for Iraq a path that responds to the needs of this generation and guarantees the rights of future generations.”

According to Al-Zaydi, the sovereignty that Iraq has regained today is embodied in the withdrawal of foreign forces and the complete termination of the international coalition’s mission in Iraq, the agreement on the withdrawal of Turkish forces and elements of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, the end of the presence of foreign armed groups on Iraqi soil, as well as the unification of the Peshmerga forces, which strengthens the unity of security and military decision-making.

In addition to ending the presence of any armed foreign opposition on Iraqi soil, and not allowing Iraq to be used as a launching pad for attacks on neighboring countries, according to Al-Zaydi, who stressed the need to control the weapons file in accordance with the constitution and the law, and according to the agreed timetable for addressing the situation of the factions and integrating them into state institutions.

He pointed to the commencement of building an integrated national air defense system, which enhances Iraq’s ability to protect its airspace and sovereignty, announcing the launch of a phase of sovereignty that is protected by the state, guaranteed by law, and in whose building all Iraqis participate.

According to the statement, Al-Zaydi praised the positions of the factions that announced their commitment to addressing the issue of weapons in accordance with the constitution and the timetable set by the government, adding: “We expect the same commitment from the rest in a way that serves the interest of our people and strengthens the authority and prestige of the state.”

He pointed out that sovereignty is manifested in an Iraqi economy capable of confronting global changes, interacting with the international economy, possessing the tools of influence, and presenting to the world a model of successful equal partnerships, stressing the continuation of diversifying the economy, expanding partnerships, and investing the energies of the youth instead of wasting them in economic structures that have exhausted their role.

Shafaq.com

Between the “official and parallel” exchange rates, Iraq is losing billions due to the gap in the dollar exchange rate.

Economic experts believe that the gap between the official exchange rate of the US dollar in Iraqi dinars and the parallel market rate in exchange bureaus is causing significant financial losses in the Iraqi market. Businessnews alerts

Many questions arise in this context, including why the price of the dollar consistently outperforms the Iraqi dinar in a country that possesses good oil reserves and considerable quantities of gold in the Central Bank of Iraq.

In this regard, economist Ali Daadoush confirms that “the continued gap between the official and parallel dollar exchange rates does not necessarily mean a shortage of foreign reserves, but rather reflects a gap between the demand for dollars and the official channels available to obtain them, in addition to restrictions related to foreign transfers, informal trade, speculation, and traders’ expectations.”

Daadoush adds to Shafaq News Agency, “From an economic standpoint, the impact of this gap is greater than just a price difference; it raises the cost of imports that cannot pass through official channels, puts pressure on prices, and increases uncertainty for the producer, importer, and consumer,” explaining that “the gap creates an incentive to move from formal activity to informal channels.”

Daadoush believes that “narrowing the gap requires expanding the use of the dinar in local transactions, improving customs control and reducing informal trade, developing the correspondent banking network, as well as addressing delays in bank transfers and redrawing the customs tariff for some essential goods.”

He notes that “the parties benefiting from the continuation of the gap are the intermediaries, speculators, some informal exchange and trade activities, and entities able to obtain dollars at the official rate and then reprice or recycle them outside official channels.”

He pointed out that “not all exchange companies or traders can be considered beneficiaries of this, because a large part of the commercial sector bears the gap as an additional cost. Therefore, the main issue is not only addressing the parallel market rate, but also reducing the gap between the official transaction rate and the dollar rate that the economy actually faces, through reforming financing and trade channels, banking compliance and customs.”

Meanwhile, money changer Osama Al-Mushrifawi, owner of one of the outlets in Baghdad, explains that “among the reasons for the gap between the official and parallel exchange rate of the dollar is the government’s tendency to support only large companies, and there is no support for small companies or small traders,” indicating that “large traders invest money by buying goods at the official exchange rate and sell them at the parallel rate.”

He adds in his interview with Shafaq News that “owners of clothing and mobile phone shops and some importers do not obtain dollars at the official price, which pushes them to buy from the black market. The more the demand for dollars increases, the higher its value rises and the gap between the official price and the parallel price widens,” noting “the state’s lack of control over the black market and the creation of a transactional environment within Iraq that is only in Iraqi dinars.”

He points out that “the government’s procedures to find some possible solutions to reduce the value of the dollar are proceeding very slowly and are subject to certain considerations, so we find that the percentage of the dollar’s decrease is small, compared to the increase, as the parallel exchange rate reached 1600 during the past few days.”

Al-Mushrifawi suggested “creating a special platform for shop owners to import goods at the official price to reduce the process of withdrawing dollars.”

The difference between the official and parallel exchange rates poses a major challenge to successive governments in Iraq, none of which have been able to bridge this gap and reach convincing solutions to build confidence in the Iraqi dinar. This gap constitutes an economic challenge that confuses citizens and disrupts commercial activity in the country. Iraqtravel guides

Mustafa Akram Hantoush, an expert in financial and banking affairs, believes that “the unification of the exchange rate represents economic stability, but the parallel market represents the demand outside the platform, because the platform does not cover small traders.”

Hantoush adds to Shafaq News Agency that “there are thousands who do not own companies and do not have a way to import, and they need companies that sell at retail and are suitable, or the feature is given to exchange shops that import the orders of every merchant who has a proven location.”

He pointed out that “framing small traders within the framework of the Central Bank helps in reducing the parallel market, as there is a large trade with neighboring Iran that includes food, dairy products and others, but the Central Bank does not cover it.”

Hantoush confirms that “if bank credits break down, it is possible that the parallel market rate will decrease and become the official exchange rate.”

MP Amer Abdul-Jabbar had previously explained in a statement that “the Iraqi people are losing 27 billion dinars due to the price gap between the official exchange rate and the parallel exchange rate during the 1295 days that is the total period of the previous government’s work,” noting that the average losses amounted to 21 million dollars every 24 hours.

Abdul-Jabbar noted that the price difference between the official and parallel dollar rates, which reached 2,900 dinars per dollar in September, is the highest price difference since 2003, and that the average losses for the current government’s 50 actual working days amounted to $43.1 million per 24 hours.

Shafaq.com