The Central Bank Governor discusses with the American side support for monetary stability.
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For his part, the Governor expressed his gratitude for the continued support provided by the United States, represented by the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve, particularly during the quarterly meetings. He also reviewed the banking reform plan and the notable progress made in stabilizing foreign exchange transactions and regulating dollar sales according to best practices and international standards.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Mr. Harris expressed his full readiness to continue supporting the efforts of the Central Bank of Iraq, enabling it to achieve its goals in promoting financial and monetary stability.
Media Office,
February 5, 2026
The Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Ali Al-Alaq, discussed with the US Chargé d'Affaires, Joshua Harris, on Thursday (February 5, 2026), supporting monetary stability in line with the requirements of political and security stability in Iraq. Harris praised the significant reform developments pursued by the Central Bank of Iraq. It was also emphasized that “financial security” is the main driver of political stability in the country, with a comprehensive review of the successes of the “reform plan” led by the bank to regulate dollar sales and foreign transfers.
The media office of the Central Bank of Iraq stated in a statement received by 964 Network that “His Excellency the Governor of the Central Bank of Iraq, Mr. Ali Mohsen Ismail Al-Alaq, received the Chargé d'Affaires of the Embassy of the United States of America to Iraq, Mr. Josh Harris, where they discussed prospects for strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries, and emphasized the importance of supporting monetary and economic stability, in line with the requirements of political and security stability in Iraq.”
The statement explained that “Mr. Harris affirmed the United States’ keenness to strengthen its relations with Iraq, and to support everything that would consolidate stability and keep the country away from any factors that might contribute to destabilizing its situation.”
The statement affirmed that Harris “praised the significant reform developments undertaken by the Central Bank of Iraq, and the distinguished and productive relationship it maintains with the US Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve.”
The statement continued, “For his part, His Excellency the Governor expressed his thanks and appreciation for the continued support provided by the United States of America, represented by the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve, especially during the quarterly meetings, while reviewing the banking reform plan, the remarkable progress in stabilizing foreign transfer operations, and regulating the sale of dollars in accordance with best practices and international standards.”
He added that “at the end of the meeting, Mr. Harris expressed his full readiness to continue supporting the efforts of the Central Bank of Iraq, enabling it to achieve its goals in promoting financial and monetary stability.”
The general budget law: Can it be issued in the event of a constitutional vacuum?
A financial advisor confirmed that the 2026 budget law can be issued in the event of any constitutional vacuum, after consulting the opinion of the Supreme Federal Court.
The Prime Minister’s financial advisor, Mazhar Muhammad Salih, explained on Thursday that government spending will continue according to the (1/12) rule until the 2026 budget is approved, while noting that the monthly salaries of employees, retirees and welfare amount to 8 trillion dinars.
Continuation of fiscal policy
Saleh said : “The fiscal policy has been carrying out its duties since the second month of this year 2026 in accordance with the provisions of the amended Federal Financial Management Law No. (6) of 2019, by spending at a rate of (1/12) of the actual current public expenditures for the year 2025.”
He explained that “public finances benefit from the provisions of paragraph (29) of the aforementioned law, which allows the financial authority to adopt temporary financing mechanisms and liquidity management in the event that spending cannot be carried out according to the legally legislated regular budget.”
He added that “the aforementioned provisions confirm the principle of temporary financing in the event of a delay in the approval of the budget law or a temporary shortage of liquidity necessary for spending. This allows the Ministry of Finance to take transitional financial measures that ensure the continued disbursement of priority expenditures without delay. Foremost among these are salaries, wages, pensions and social welfare allocations, which are estimated at about eight trillion dinars per month.”
The possibility of issuing the general budget law
Regarding the possibility of legislating the budget law in the event of a failure to elect a president, Saleh explained that “this is a rare occurrence, but it may impose itself due to the necessities of the supreme national interest, especially since the House of Representatives is the constitutional body competent to legislate the budget law. In this context, the possibility of issuing the 2026 budget law can be considered after consulting the opinion of the Supreme Federal Court, as it is a constitutional court specializing in resolving the problems of parliamentary sessions, especially in cases of the complete absence of the president.”
He also pointed out that “the President of the Republic, Abdul Latif Jamal Rashid, and the Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, are still in a position of legal responsibility at the moment, which allows, in principle, the request to prepare a draft of the federal general budget law and submit it to the House of Representatives to begin the legislative process, if the elected legislative authority wishes to do so.”
The Ministry of Finance denies that the treasury is empty or that there will be no salaries for employees next month - Urgent
The Ministry of Finance denied on Friday that the treasury was empty of funds or that there would be no salaries for employees next month.
The Ministry of Finance stated in a statement received by (Al-Rabia): “We categorically deny the validity of what has been circulated on some social media sites regarding the statement that there will be no salaries next month or that the treasury is empty of funds.”
The ministry confirmed that "this information is false and was not issued by any official body," stressing that "the salaries of employees and retirees are secured and are disbursed according to the approved procedures and timings, and there is no truth to what is being reported by biased channels and websites."
The ministry called on citizens and the media to "rely on official sources for information and not to be swayed by rumors or unreliable pages that aim to stir up anxiety and confusion in public opinion."
Iraq achieves a leap in gold reserves: third in the Arab world and 28th globally
The latest official global gold reserves data for February 2026 revealed that Iraq has made new progress in the ranking of gold-owning
countries, after raising its reserves of the yellow metal to more than 174 tons, advancing to 28th place globally instead of 29th.
According to the data, Iraq’s gold reserves reached 174.6 tons, compared to 170.9 tons in the previous month, representing 24.6% of the country’s total foreign currency reserves, a clear indication of Iraq’s growing reliance on gold as a hedge and a support for monetary stability amid global economic fluctuations.
Globally, the United States continued to top the list with a huge reserve of 8,133 tons, followed by Germany with 3,350 tons, then Italy in third place with 2,451
tons, France in fourth place with 2,437 tons, while Russia came in fifth with a reserve of 2,326 tons.
As for the Arab countries, Saudi Arabia topped the list of Arab countries with a reserve of 323 tons, followed by Lebanon with 286 tons, while Iraq came in third
among Arab countries with a reserve of 174.6 tons, ahead of a number of other Arab countries.
The data showed that Iraq continued to bolster its gold reserves during 2025, purchasing one ton in March, 1.6 tons in June, 3.1 tons in July, 2.5 tons in August, and 3.8 tons in October, in a policy that reflects a growing trend towards strengthening safe assets and supporting financial stability.
Dollars, politics, and factions: Pressure points surround the anticipated cabinet.
Baghdad/Al-Masalla: According to sources contacted by Al-Masalla, the coordination framework must act today under the pressure of a delicate political equation that seeks to spare Iraq American anger that could quickly turn into economic and political sanctions, in exchange for showing a higher degree of rationality in the process of forming the next government, at a time when unannounced signals are intensifying regarding red lines related to the shape of the cabinet and its balances.
In Baghdad, political leaks and diplomatic readings converge to confirm that any government perceived as being close to armed factions will quickly lose international cover. This puts the forces involved in the coordination framework to the test of managing influence without provoking external partners, especially with an economy that depends on oil revenues for more than 85 percent of its income and a financial system that is highly sensitive to sanctions.
In parallel, there is growing concern within political circles that any potential American escalation could directly affect the dollar, the exchange rate, and import activity, which opens the door to social unrest that is difficult to contain, at a time when state institutions are still suffering from fragility that has accumulated over the years.
On social media, a political analyst on the X platform said, “The messages are clear to anyone who wants to read them. Washington is not compromising on the form of government this time, and any disregard could bring back the scenario of financial pressure.” Conversely, a political activist wrote on Facebook, “Iraq cannot tolerate a Saddam-era government; pragmatism has become a necessity, not an option.”
Within the coordination framework, unannounced assessments speak of efforts to present a government with a calmer facade, while reducing the political appearance of the factions, in an attempt to buy time and avoid a direct confrontation, amid a growing realization that the phase of gray settlements is nearing its end.
It appears that Iraq is at a pivotal moment, where the form of government becomes a message in itself, either reassuring the outside world and providing relative internal stability, or a costly gamble that could return the country to a cycle of pressure and isolation.
The US State Department: We will use all our tools to prevent Maliki's return.
The US State Department revealed on Thursday evening a firm and strongly worded position regarding the upcoming political alliances map in Iraq, stressing that the US administration is prepared to use "a full range of tools" to ensure the implementation of President Donald Trump's vision regarding the Iraqi issue.
In a special and exclusive response to Shafaq News Agency, the US State Department spokesperson conveyed a direct warning against repeating past governance scenarios, indicating that current US policy requires an Iraqi government capable of working "effectively and respectfully" with the United States.
The State Department spokesman also relayed President Trump's warning, which read: "The last time Maliki was in power, the country slid into poverty and chaos... That should not be allowed to happen again."
The American response continued, quoting Trump, that the policies and ideologies he described as "crazy" would lead, if Maliki were re-elected, to a complete cutoff of American aid, warning that "if the United States is not there to help, Iraq will have no chance of success, prosperity, or freedom."
The State Department spokesman concluded by saying, "We have clearly communicated these intentions to the Iraqi political leadership," stressing that Washington is prepared to use "the full range of tools" to enforce this policy and prevent a repeat of governance experiences that harm common interests.
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Waiting for the "fatal mistake"
35,000 American soldiers surround Iraq: They will not hesitate to "take control of Baghdad" if it takes this step!
With rising tensions between Iran and the United States, and increasing talk of the possibility of the confrontation expanding from a war of mutual strikes to a wider clash, notable warnings emerged from Iraqi military expert Alaa al-Nashou , who warned that any use of long-range missiles by Iraqi factions against American forces or interests could open the door to a "new occupation of Iraq," in light of a large American military buildup surrounding the region.
These warnings coincide with international press reports about the transfer of Iranian missiles to Iraqi factions, with the monitoring of an unprecedented American naval and air buildup near Iran and Iraq, and with parallel discussions about the possibility of Yemen becoming a new ground operations arena, which puts Iraq at the heart of a complex regional equation in which it could slip back into the forefront of confrontation if the scope of the clash widens.
Iranian long-range missiles on Iraqi soil?
Western newspapers reported intelligence indicating that Iran, for the first time, supplied Iraqi armed factions with long-range surface-to-surface missiles, in a move interpreted as part of an advanced deterrence strategy in case Tehran is subjected to a large-scale American or Israeli strike.
According to these leaks, some of these missiles were stored at sites inside Iraq and possibly in other countries in the region, with the aim of providing a rapid response capability against American and Israeli bases or targets, while reducing the need to launch missiles from Iranian territory itself. This scenario, if accurate, means that any decision to escalate missile attacks will not be isolated from Iraqi territory, but could be implemented from within Iraq or through factions politically and militarily affiliated with it.
The situation became even more complex and dangerous about a week ago when some factions announced the establishment of what they called an "underground missile city" inside Iraq, showcasing missile capabilities buried deep underground that are difficult to detect or target with a single strike. This announcement, regardless of the accuracy of its field details, adds a new layer of anxiety; it reinforces the image of Iraq in the eyes of the United States as a potential missile launchpad in any major confrontation, and simultaneously increases the likelihood of it becoming a direct target should a decision be made to respond to or curtail these capabilities militarily.
From here, Alaa Al-Nashou poses a critical question: If long-range missiles are launched from Iraqi territory towards American targets, will all of Iraq be treated as a “hostile platform” justifying a broader military intervention?
US military buildup encircles Iraq and Iran
The report speaks of a highly complex regional military landscape, including the presence of large US naval groups in the northern Arabian Sea, the Red Sea and the eastern Mediterranean, advanced fighters of various types stationed at air bases spread across the countries of the region, and ground forces ready to move.
The military expert adds that “approximately three Marine divisions have been brought in, meaning that about 35,000 American soldiers are now present in American bases surrounding Iraq and surrounding Iran,” as he put it, explaining that this size of deployment is not only aimed at directing air or missile strikes, but also creates the possibility of moving part of these forces to ground operations if the political and military doors are opened for that.
It is true that the public American political discourse focuses more on “deterrence and pressure” than on “full-scale invasion” as happened in 2003, but the reading of the escalation stems from experience with the Iraqi reality: whenever the country turns into a shooting range for Americans, Washington becomes more willing to exploit this reality to justify expanding the military presence and imposing new security realities on the ground.
Warning of a "new occupation" and rules of engagement
In the widely circulated intervention, Alaa Al-Nashou links three key elements:
Arming the factions with long-range missiles, as reported by Western press reports.
-The current US military buildup around Iraq and Iran, including naval and air forces and Marine Corps units.
-American control over the rules of engagement in the region, meaning that most air and sea fire lines today pass through an American decision or are under direct American supervision.
Al-Nashou concludes that “if what has been published is true, and Iraqi factions proceed to use these missiles against the United States, then this will be a recipe for a new occupation of Iraq,” expecting that Washington will use such an attack to justify the introduction of additional ground forces under titles such as “protecting American forces and interests” or “preventing Iraq from becoming an Iranian missile platform.”
In his view, “America today controls the rules of engagement,” and there is virtually “no major front line in the region outside of American will,” meaning that any ill-considered decision from within Iraq could once again plunge it into the heart of a battle whose rules are drawn outside its borders.
Yemen as a parallel front in American calculations
The scenario is not limited to Iraq, but indicates that part of these forces could be used in ground operations in Yemen, following waves of airstrikes targeting sites belonging to the Ansar Allah group, and repeated talk about the need to "secure navigation" in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
According to this interpretation, Yemen may become the first testing ground for broader ground operations, supported by allied local forces, while the possibility of expanding operations to other countries – including Iraq – remains, if the fronts overlap and different Arab territories are used to put pressure on the United States or to target its interests.
Modern US weapons and the "post-Maduro" scenario
In addition, warnings are increasing in military and strategic circles about the qualitative development in the modern American weapons system, especially those that have been tested or brandished in sensitive cases such as Venezuela during the Nicolas Maduro crisis, where Washington sought to establish a new model in conflict management based on a combination of crippling sanctions, naval blockade, intelligence pressure, and the threat of using long-range precision strikes without the need for a full-scale ground invasion.
This pattern of thinking makes the “occupation” in its new form less dependent on tanks entering the capital, and more based on paralyzing command and control centers, targeting vital infrastructure, and supporting loyal local forces on the ground, thus turning the targeted state into an open space for foreign influence without a formal declaration of occupation.
Hence the danger of repeating this scenario in Iraq if its territory turns into a platform for factions’ missiles against the United States; as Washington could find in that an opportunity to employ its technological superiority and its air, naval and electronic weapons to impose new security realities, under the slogan of “protecting forces and interests” or “preventing the repetition of the Maduro model in the Middle East,” while the Iraqis pay the price for a battle whose tools are moved from outside their borders.
Between "full occupation" and "expanding the military presence"
Alaa Al-Nashou’s warnings do not necessarily mean that Washington is heading towards repeating a carbon copy of the 2003 invasion, but they highlight a wider range of options, starting with expanding existing military bases and tightening their procedures, passing through deploying special forces and rapid response forces in larger numbers, imposing closed military zones or “safe corridors” in some provinces, and ending with imposing a kind of “undeclared security tutelage” over the Iraqi decision, through political and economic pressure.
In this case, armed action from within Iraq – especially if long-range missiles are used – becomes a decisive factor in pushing Washington towards more aggressive options, even if it does not reach the level of a full-scale invasion in the traditional sense of the word.
What does all this mean for Iraq today?
Reading the current situation places Iraq at a clear crossroads: either it maintains a reasonable distance from the missiles of a "major war" and prevents its territory from becoming a platform for strategic clashes between America and Iran, or it slips—intentionally or through miscalculation—into the arena once again, with all the risks this entails for its sovereignty, the unity of its institutions, and its economic and security situation.
The essential message in these warnings is that whoever decides to exert missile pressure on the United States may not be the same person who bears the cost of the reaction on the ground. The real cost will be paid by the state, society, economy, and ordinary Iraqis if the door is opened to a broader military presence, under any name.
Indonesia's historic growth exceeds expectations amid geopolitical challenges and currency pressures
According to official figures released on Thursday, the Indonesian economy experienced a strong recovery in 2025, becoming the largest economy in Southeast Asia with a growth rate of 5.11 percent, surpassing the previous year's performance and achieving the fastest annual growth rate since 2022, thanks to a combination of strong consumer spending and massive investments.
These results were driven primarily by an exceptional performance in the last quarter of the year, which recorded growth of 5.39 percent, exceeding analysts’ expectations of only 5.01 percent, as a result of the financial stimulus packages injected by the government worth more than 16 trillion rupees, which included direct support measures such as rice distribution and tax exemptions for the tourism sector.
Despite these positive figures, which bolster President Prabowo Subianto's ambitions to achieve 8 percent growth by 2029, the landscape is not without significant challenges, including international trade tensions, US tariffs, and declining foreign investor confidence. This growth coincided with shifts in fiscal and monetary policy, including a 150-basis-point interest rate cut and a leadership change at the Ministry of Finance, with Purbaya Yodi Sadiwa replacing Sri Mulyani Indrawati. This move triggered market turmoil, leading to capital outflows and a record low for the rupee against the dollar due to concerns about transparency and the budget deficit.
While the government is targeting 5.4 percent growth for 2026, relying on sovereign wealth fund investments and public spending programs, skeptical voices from economists and local research centers are emerging, pointing to a gap between official data and the reality on the ground. Their doubts are based on contradictory indicators such as declining tax revenues, stagnant foreign investment, falling car sales, and a contraction in industrial activity, in addition to reports of layoffs that may suggest the announced household spending figures are inflated and do not reflect the true economic situation of citizens.
She added that the crews of the two ships consisted of 15 foreigners and that they had been referred to the judicial authorities.
This comes as diplomats seek to hold nuclear talks between Iran and the United States amid warnings from US President Donald Trump that "bad things" could happen if an agreement cannot be reached, with US warships heading near the Iranian coast.
Tensions continue between the United States and Iran. US President Donald Trump expressed hope for reaching an agreement with Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that any attack on Tehran would trigger a regional war.
Trump has been threatening military action against Tehran for weeks in response to the crackdown on recent protests. Washington has reinforced its forces in the Middle East and deployed the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln to the region.
The reinforcements raised concerns among regional countries about the outbreak of a war that would exacerbate the
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