Shiite preacher: The coordination framework is not facing a crisis in choosing the new Iraqi prime minister

Imam and Friday preacher of Najaf, Sadr al-Din al-Qubanchi, ruled out the possibility of a crisis within the coordinating framework that includes the ruling Shiite political forces and parties in the country regarding the failure to choose a new prime minister for Iraq, despite the fact that nearly two months have passed since the legislative elections were held and their results were ratified.

In his Friday sermon, Al-Qabbani addressed the formation of the government and the election of the Prime Minister, saying that the people are waiting and the coordinating framework is discussing viewpoints, and there is no deadlock or crisis of choice.

Al-Khatib, who is close to the framework, added, “Our hope is that the talks will end with results that are pleasing to God and to the people.”

Since the ratification of the election results held in November 2025, the Coordination Framework has begun holding meetings and discussions among its members and with other parties to decide on the position of Prime Minister, which is allocated to the Shiite component according to the custom established after 2003.

The coordination framework is experiencing internal disagreements regarding the candidates for the premiership, and recent discussions have focused on a shortlist that includes the head of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, the outgoing Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, and the head of the Victory Coalition, Haider al-Abadi, as the most prominent, along with the head of the intelligence service, Hamid al-Shatri, and the head of the Accountability and Justice Commission, Basim al-Badri.

Multiple sources did not rule out the possibility that the framework would put forward a compromise candidate – whose identity has not yet been announced – to head the new government.

Shafaq.com

Security: The 7th Division takes over the management of Ain al-Asad base after the American withdrawal.

Security expert Qatari Al-Samarmad revealed on Tuesday that the Iraqi Army’s 7th Division will take over the management and protection of Ain Al-Assad base in western Anbar after the withdrawal of US and international coalition forces.

Al-Samarmad told Al-Maalomah News Agency that “the Seventh Division of the Iraqi Army will take over the management and protection of Ain al-Assad base in the Al-Baghdadi district of Hit, west of Anbar, coinciding with the withdrawal of hundreds of soldiers and advisors towards Al-Harir base in Erbil Governorate, northern Iraq.”

He added that “the security leadership will hold a large ceremony in the presence of high-level security leaders to receive the Ain al-Asad base for the first time since it was occupied by the American forces in 2003 and then handed over to the security forces in 2014 while maintaining their presence inside special buildings for their forces.”

He stated that “the Iraqi Army’s 7th Division has confirmed its readiness to assume security responsibilities for managing and protecting the base,” adding that “security leaders have arrived at the base in preparation for taking it over from US forces.”

Almaalomah.me

Central Bank: The rise of the dollar in the parallel market is due to customs duties.

The Central Bank issued its first official statement on Wednesday following the dollar exchange rate approaching the 150,000 dinar mark in local markets, confirming its continued monitoring of exchange market developments and its taking of necessary measures to maintain monetary stability.

The bank explained in a statement received by Al-Maalomah that “the official dollar exchange rate has not changed and remains fixed at 1320 dinars per dollar.”

He explained that “the high dollar exchange rates being traded are due to demand in the informal market outside the banking system authorized to conduct foreign transfers through correspondent banks,” noting that “the main reason for the rise in the dollar exchange rate in the parallel market is related to the application of the pre-customs duty and the resulting increase in demand outside the banking system.”

The bank added that “the application of the pre-transfer customs duty placed significant pressure on those seeking cash dollars, and was one of the most prominent factors contributing to the increased demand for dollars against the dinar in local markets.”

The Central Bank concluded its statement by affirming its “continued monitoring of the market and taking all necessary measures to ensure the stability of the exchange rate and protect the national currency.”

Almaalomah.me

An economist rules out the government reconsidering the exchange rate.

Economic expert Nabil Al-Ali ruled out on Wednesday the possibility of the government reconsidering the exchange rate of the dollar or raising it to between 150,000 and 160,000 dinars per 100 dollars, as has been circulating in some media outlets. He emphasized that such a decision is extremely sensitive and carries significant economic and social repercussions, making it unlikely that the government would resort to it.

Al-Ali told the Information Agency, “Raising the exchange rate to those levels is highly improbable, given the widespread negative consequences it could cause.” He added that “resorting to it as a solution to the financial crisis would be a difficult option with uncertain outcomes.”

He added that “the talk circulating in some media outlets regarding raising the exchange rate may be politically motivated, aimed at confusing the public and creating a state of economic anxiety.” He explained that “the measures taken by the caretaker government, related to raising customs tariffs, will directly impact the prices of goods and commodities, as merchants will pass on the cost of these increases to the consumer.”

He clarified that the coming months may witness an escalation of problems related to rising prices, which may prompt the government to reconsider these tariffs and perhaps reach special exceptions, particularly in the pharmaceutical and food sectors.

Almaalomah.me

MP: Tax increase by government decree is a constitutional violation and an overreach of parliamentary powers

Member of Parliament, Mona al-Gharabi, confirmed on Wednesday that the caretaker prime minister’s raising of tax rates is a clear violation of constitutional provisions and an overreach of legislative authority.

In a statement received by the Information Agency, al-Gharabi said, “The measures taken by the Council of Ministers regarding raising taxes are a clear violation of the constitution, and their implementation outside the legal and constitutional framework cannot be permitted.”

She explained that “the measures taken by the Council of Ministers to raise taxes lack constitutional and legal basis, as imposing or amending taxes is the exclusive prerogative of the Council of Representatives, according to Article (28/First) of the Iraqi Constitution.”
She added that “the aforementioned article stipulates that taxes and fees shall not be imposed, amended, collected, or exempted except by law.”

Al-Gharabi emphasized, “We, as members of the Council of Representatives, will stand against this governmental blundering, given its direct negative impact on Iraqi citizens, who are currently experiencing anxiety and confusion due to ill-conceived government measures that impose additional financial burdens on them.”

She emphasized that “protecting citizens’ rights and respecting constitutional provisions is a non-negotiable priority under any circumstances.”

Almaalomah.me

Al-Maliki sets 5 conditions for Al-Sudani: otherwise there will be no prime minister

On Wednesday, a source within the coordination framework revealed details of the last meeting of the Shiite House forces, which was dominated by an atmosphere of tension and conflict due to the intransigence of the two main candidates, Muhammad Shia al-Sudani and Nouri al-Maliki, regarding their right to obtain the title of the next Prime Minister.

According to a source within the coordination framework speaking to Shafaq News Agency, Maliki has set several conditions for the candidate the framework will choose to head the next government, including Sudani. Among these conditions are that he not be at the top of the lists for the upcoming provincial council and parliamentary elections, and that he not run in them at all, and that the person who will assume the position be an (office manager) from outside the alliance led by the next prime minister.

According to the source, the conditions of the leader of the State of Law Coalition also stipulated the formation of a follow-up committee from the coordination framework within the government office (the Prime Minister’s office), in addition to setting a period of (100) days to test the new government, noting that the State Forces Alliance, led by Ammar al-Hakim, also suggested that there should be no tripartite budget by the new government.

According to the source, the framework is awaiting the Sudanese approval of the above conditions, after which the date of the next meeting will be set for the final agreement on announcing the candidate and the map for distributing the government cabinet, according to parliamentary and political entitlement, stressing that these conditions have the full support and approval of the “Shia House” forces.

Since the ratification of the election results held in November 2025, the Coordination Framework has begun holding meetings and discussions among its members and with other parties to decide on the position of Prime Minister, which is allocated to the Shiite component according to the custom established after 2003.

The leaders of the framework held their 257th regular meeting last Monday evening at the office of former Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, and discussed a number of topics on the agenda and the latest developments in the domestic and international scenes.

The participants stressed the need to resolve the national entitlement by appointing the Prime Minister, along with the rest of the electoral entitlements, in accordance with the constitutional contexts and the requirements of the next stage.

Shafaq.com

Iraq’s gold reserves remain stable at 170 tons… An expert explains the reasons

The World Gold Council announced on Wednesday that Iraq maintained its global ranking with reserves exceeding 170 tons of gold, without any change.

The council stated in its latest statistics for January, which were reviewed by Shafaq News Agency, that Iraq maintained its 29th position globally out of 100 countries that possess the largest reserves of the precious metal.

He explained that Iraq’s gold reserves amounted to 170.9 tons, equivalent to 22.1% of its total other hard currency reserves, ranking fourth at the Arab level after Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Algeria.

It is worth noting that the World Gold Council, which is based in the United Kingdom, includes the world’s largest gold mining companies and has extensive experience in analyzing market trends and factors affecting the price of the precious metal.

For his part, economist Mohammed Al-Hassani confirmed that data from the World Gold Council showed that Iraq’s gold reserves remained stable without any change, despite the clear fluctuations in global markets, with a number of countries moving to strengthen their gold holdings as a safe haven.

Al-Hassani explained to Shafaq News Agency that this stability reflects a cautious monetary policy followed by the Central Bank of Iraq, which aims to maintain financial stability and avoid buying at high price levels, while keeping the option of moving in the future linked to global market developments and economic conditions.

Shafaq.com

Jordan seeks to renew its agreement to import Iraqi oil for an additional year.

Jordan’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources revealed on Wednesday that it is seeking to renew the memorandum of understanding for importing Iraqi oil under the same terms and specifications as the previous agreement.

The ministry confirmed in a statement that it is holding talks with the Iraqi side to renew the memorandum of understanding between the two countries for the import of Iraqi oil for an additional year, after the previous memorandum expired on June 26, 2025, which was extended until the end of last year.

The ministry said that the Jordanian Petroleum Refinery in Zarqa received 891,388 barrels of Iraqi crude oil during the period from October 5 to December 31, 2025, in completion of the previous memorandum of understanding signed between the governments of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Republic of Iraq, which was extended on September 17.

According to the memo, this measure comes to complete the quantities that were not loaded during the past period for logistical reasons, as loading was resumed on October 5 and ended on December 31, 2025.

This step comes within the framework of strengthening ongoing cooperation between Jordan and Iraq in the energy sector, and consolidating economic relations between the two countries, in a way that serves common interests and contributes to achieving energy security for the Kingdom.

Shafaq.com

“Iran protests”: Pezeshkian calls for non-aggression against demonstrators

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday called on law enforcement agencies not to use violence against protesters, stressing the right of citizens to peacefully express their views.

This came during official statements he made on the sidelines of a government meeting, at a time when protests continue in several Iranian cities over social and political issues.

Pezeshkian said the government is fulfilling its responsibilities towards citizens and is striving to ensure public safety and the right to expression, calling on all parties to exercise restraint and avoid any escalation that would worsen the current situation.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump warned Iran that it would be “hit very hard” if more protesters were killed during the protests, which have entered their second week, over deteriorating living conditions.

Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One: “We are watching the situation very closely. If they start killing people like they have done in the past, I think they are going to get a very strong hit from the United States.”

On the economic front, the Iranian rial hit a new record low against the dollar last Sunday, according to the unofficial black market rate, with the price of one dollar exceeding 1.4 million rials, compared to about 820,000 rials a year ago.

Shafaq.com

Iraq is making progress towards joining the World Trade Organization.

The International Trade Centre, a United Nations agency, confirmed that Iraq has made clear progress in its steps towards joining the World Trade Organization.

Eric Bochot, the director of the International Trade Centre’s programs in Iraq, which is affiliated with the United Nations, told Al-Sabah: “The process of Iraq joining the World Trade Organization is still ongoing, and has witnessed progress in several important stages at the national and international levels.”

Bushot added that this progress includes the establishment and reactivation of the Iraq Working Group at the World Trade Organization, the revival of national coordination mechanisms, technical reviews of trade-related legislation, communication with member states of the organization, as well as preparatory work related to market access and regulatory harmonization.

The UN official stressed that what has been accomplished so far reflects a continued commitment to aligning the Iraqi trade system with multilateral rules, although additional steps are still required.

For his part, economist Nabil Al-Tamimi said that the government and the Ministry of Trade are working hard to join the World Trade Organization.

Al-Tamimi added to Al-Sabah that “joining requires several procedures, including legislative and legal amendments, in order for Iraq to meet the conditions for joining this organization, noting that the legislative process in Iraq may suffer from slowness for several reasons.”

Al-Tamimi explained that these steps were accompanied by procedural obligations that are part of the conditions for joining the organization.

Alsabaah.iq