Especially with the delay in forming a new government and the difficulty in borrowing from international institutions.
Urgent | Urgent warning from the International Monetary Fund: Iraq is the country most affected by the war and has no options for dealing with its economic repercussions.
A senior official at the International Monetary Fund said that Iraq does not have many options to deal with the economic repercussions of the Iran war other than reducing spending and temporarily resorting to dollar reserves, until a government is formed that can approve borrowing or request formal financing from international institutions.
Jihad Azour, the IMF’s Middle East and Central Asia director, told Al-Sharq platform on Thursday, as reported by Iraq Observer: “There is communication between the IMF and the Iraqi authorities to help the country mitigate the crisis.” He added: “There are discussions, as you know, they are now in the process of choosing a prime minister and forming a government. They currently have very limited ability to request financing or even to borrow due to legislative restrictions.”
He added: “They have to manage spending now in a way that prioritizes the most urgent needs. I think they are already using reserves, which is a temporary solution to a crisis that predates the start of the current war.”
Azour explained that the challenges Iraq is currently facing are due to “years of fiscal expansion,” noting that: “The Iraqi government was already facing severe financial constraints before the war due to a combination of excessive spending and very limited non-oil revenues,” noting that the IMF estimates the economy will contract by about 0.4% in 2025.
Azour’s statements reflect the importance of Iraq quickly forming a government that can make swift decisions to support public finances and implement policies that would diversify sources of income, given that oil exports constitute 90% of government revenues.
Iraq is among the countries most affected by the war in the region, with the IMF predicting that the economy will contract by 6.8% this year due to the economy's reliance on oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz, which has led to a sharp decline in exports and government revenues since the beginning of the conflict.
It is worth noting that Iraq's exports of crude oil and condensates fell by more than 81% during March, according to official data. March 2026 statistics show that exports were distributed as follows: approximately 14.56 million barrels from fields in central and southern Iraq, about 1.27 million barrels from the Kurdistan Region via the Turkish port of Ceyhan, and approximately 2.77 million barrels of Kirkuk oil via the same port.
Exports from the central and southern regions recorded a greater decline, compared to a slower decrease in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, while March witnessed exports of Kirkuk oil via the Ceyhan port for the first time since the beginning of the year.
Mahmoud Dagher: Trust between banks and the public is the foundation of financial stability and economic support.
Dr. Mahmoud Dagher, Chairman of the Board of Al-Nasik Islamic Bank, stressed that strengthening trust between banks and the public is one of the most important gains that the banking sector should achieve, noting that achieving success and financial stability cannot be achieved without building a strong relationship based on trust and transparency between banking institutions and citizens.
During his speech at the Governance, Risk Management and Compliance Forum, Dagher explained that consolidating this trust requires the actual application of governance and compliance principles, as they are the basic pillar for regulating banking work and ensuring transparency, accountability and commitment to modern professional and administrative standards.
He added that boards of directors bear a pivotal responsibility in this regard, by setting clear policies, following up on their implementation, and developing the banking work environment in a way that contributes to raising performance efficiency and achieving stability, which directly reflects on restoring public confidence in banks and strengthening the role of the banking sector in supporting the national economy.
Iranian reports explain the reasons for activating air defense systems in Tehran and several other cities.
Iranian media, citing press reports, stated that the sounds of air defenses heard this evening in the capital Tehran and other cities were due to defense systems dealing with small drones (Micro UAVs) of the "Orbiter" type in several locations across the country.
In a related context, the Fars News Agency quoted military expert Abdolreza Sedigh, who provided an analysis identifying four factors that contributed to the activity of air defense systems during this period:
1. State of alert: System operators remain in a state of maximum alert, and respond immediately to any suspicious aerial signal or target.
2. Air surveillance: The use of MiG-29 fighter jets as part of the defense belt of the capital Tehran to monitor and target drones, which explains the sounds of warplanes.
3. Maintenance and testing: Taking advantage of the current period to carry out overhauls of the systems, install new radars, and test anti-aircraft guns and equipment, a procedure that requires field trials.
4. Changing Defense Patterns: Training on implementing a new model for deploying and using air defenses, and shifting from a "spider" system (based on a central network) to a "mosaic" system (based on local and separate units that enhance the flexibility of air defenses). These clarifications aim to dispel questions about the nature of the explosion and the sounds of interception heard recently in various Iranian regions.
New York Times: Mojtaba Khamenei is unable to speak and has delegated decision-making to the Revolutionary Guard.
link this is from Iraq's news
The New York Times revealed on Thursday information about the situation of Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, indicating that he has delegated decision-making authority to leaders in the Revolutionary Guard.
The newspaper quoted Iranian officials as saying that “Mojtaba Khamenei has delegated decision-making to Revolutionary Guard generals due to the difficulty of communicating with him.”
She added that “the messages reach Mojtaba Khamenei in writing and are delivered to him through a reliable human chain, and that he will need cosmetic surgery,” indicating that “he has had difficulty speaking since his injury.”
She added that “Khamenei’s face and lips were severely burned in the Israeli attack, and that he underwent surgery on one of his hands and is slowly recovering.”
She pointed out that: “One of Mujtaba’s legs was injured in the attack and he is waiting for a prosthetic limb to be implanted, and that he still enjoys a sharp mental state despite his injury.”
She noted that: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is contributing to the treatment of Mojtaba Khamenei, in his capacity as a doctor.
She also said: Access to Mojtaba Khamenei is currently very limited and difficult, and he is currently surrounded by a team of doctors.
The Iraqi parliament adjourns its session and decides to extend its legislative term.
The House of Representatives adjourned its regular session on Thursday, after completing the discussion of a number of legislative items, as part of its work.
The council's media department said in a press statement: "The House of Representatives has begun the first reading of the proposed Juvenile Welfare Law, and has completed reading 50 articles within it."
She added that “the Council also completed the first reading of the proposed first amendment to Law No. (18) of 2018 concerning the protection of teachers, instructors, supervisors and educational counselors.”
She noted that “the council also decided to extend its legislative session for 30 days.”
The Central Bank of Iran confirms the deposit of the first revenues from the Strait of Hormuz.
The Central Bank of Iran confirmed on Thursday the deposit of the first revenues from the Strait of Hormuz. In
a statement carried by the Al-Maalomah news agency, the bank said, "Transit fees through the Strait of Hormuz are collected only from ships that obtain a transit permit."
Qaani reveals the iron weapon that only Iranians possess
Quds Force Commander Brigadier General Esmail Qaani affirmed on Thursday that support for the Resistance Front and the fighters in the war against the American-Zionist enemy rests on the unity of the people and the cohesion of officials.
In a post seen by the Video News Agency, Brigadier General Qaani stated, "Support for the Resistance Front and the fighters without limits in the war against the American-Zionist enemy is the unity of the people and the cohesion of officials."
He added, "They are the ones who say: We are all 'Iranians' and 'revolutionaries,' and with the ironclad unity between the nation and the state, and with complete obedience to the Supreme Leader of the Revolution, we will make the criminal aggressor regret it.
" He continued, "One God, one leader, one nation, and one path; the path of victory for our beloved Iran."
Want to Support My FX Buddies?
.png)
ThanksSupport My FX Buddies
BuyMeACoffee CashApp:$tishwash
https://paypal.me/tishwash
.jpeg)
A parliamentary message to the framework: No deadline after Saturday, we will choose the prime minister.
Mahmoud al-Shammari, a member of the Services Bloc in the Iraqi Parliament, revealed on Thursday evening that members of Parliament intend to collect signatures and send an official letter to the President of the Republic to nominate a suitable person for the position of Prime Minister, in the event that the Coordination Framework does not reach an agreement on choosing a candidate by next Saturday.
Al-Shammari told Shafaq News Agency that "if the coordination framework does not reach an agreement to choose a candidate for the position of Prime Minister within the constitutionally specified period, then the members of the House of Representatives will have a different opinion on the matter."
He added: "We are waiting for the leadership of the framework until next Saturday, and if they do not reach an agreement to choose the appropriate candidate for the position of Prime Minister, then the members of Parliament will collect signatures and send an official letter to the President of the Republic to nominate the appropriate person and get out of the political deadlock."
The MP stressed that “the House of Representatives is capable of nominating the person as it is the legislative authority in the country and the highest authority in the Iraqi state,” noting that “the continuation of the situation as it is and the continuation of the caretaker government and 10 vacant ministries without a minister pushes us to intervene in the matter of choosing the candidate for the next government.”
A member of the coordination framework, Amer Al-Fayez, told Shafaq News Agency on Thursday that the ongoing meetings had led to important understandings to resolve the disputes, suggesting that the nomination of a candidate for the premiership would be decided within the next few hours.
With Iraq entering the post-election phase of President Nizar Amidi, attention is turning to the most important entitlement, which is the formation of the new government, amidst heated political debate within the coordination framework regarding the prime minister candidate.
The coordinating framework had set a date for a crucial meeting last Saturday, before postponing it to Monday, with the aim of deciding on a candidate for the premiership. However, the meeting ended without reaching a final agreement, so it was postponed to Wednesday, before being postponed again to Friday.
A member of the Reconstruction Coalition: We will move towards the national interest and the framework decision in choosing the Prime Minister
Al-Mutalibi said, during his appearance on the “Free Talk” program on Al-Furat satellite channel, that: “The issue of postponement is not a desire but rather a result of the framework’s failure to agree on a mechanism for selecting the prime minister candidate,” indicating that “adopting an unfair mechanism for assignment will open a negative door in the administration of the state.”
He pointed to "the need to respect the electoral weight," noting that "talk of a prior agreement within the framework not to nominate Mohammed Shia al-Sudani for a second term is incorrect."
He added that "the national interest is what prompted Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani to withdraw his candidacy in favor of Nouri al-Maliki, and they asked him to form the government."
He explained that "Iraq is working to avoid economic crises and entering into conflicts with the United States," stressing that "the Iraqi economy has maintained its stability in the region despite the war conditions, and salaries and markets have not been affected."
Al-Mutalibi concluded by affirming that "his coalition will prioritize the national interest and adhere to the decision of the coordination framework."
What will he choose? The Sudanese government faces Washington's demands to cut the salaries of the Popular Mobilization Forces and target the factions.
The head of the Reconstruction and Development bloc, Bahaa al-Araji, revealed that there is a division within the coordination framework regarding the mechanism for choosing the next prime minister, between the “signatures” system adopted by the State of Law bloc and “direct voting,” stressing that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani is facing harsh American conditions, including cutting the salaries of the Popular Mobilization Forces and striking some factions .
Al-Araji said in a televised interview followed by Al-Sa’a Network that “Monday’s framework session resulted in the submission of 6 signatures from the State of Law coalition in favor of Basim Al-Badri, while Hadi Al-Amiri proposed the option of direct voting instead of signatures to choose the Prime Minister, and after his intervention the discussion moved to the selection mechanism .”
He added that "the proposed new mechanism is based on the candidate obtaining two-thirds of the votes of the leaders of the framework, and in the second stage two-thirds of the members of the House of Representatives from the framework. It was proposed by Al-Amiri, Al-Hakim and Al-Khazali, but it was rejected by the State of Law, and the discussion about it was postponed to the next session ."
He added that "the upcoming coordination framework meeting will not discuss the selection of the prime minister unless the selection mechanism is decided, with the direct voting option being the most likely to be fair ."
He pointed out that “Al-Asadi did not sign, despite being part of the Reconstruction and Development bloc, and expressed conditional approval related to the signing of other leaders in favor of Bassem Al-Badri, while the bloc did not adopt the mechanism of signatures at all and preferred to vote by raising hands as usual .”
He stressed that "choosing the prime minister is not the most important thing at the moment, but rather the unity of the coordinating framework, especially in light of international discussions related to the Iraqi political system ."
He added that "Al-Sudani prepared his government program before the elections, and it included restricting weapons to the state, and he rejects dealing with the issue with violence and prefers political and legal solutions ."
He explained that "the United States had put forward two main demands during the past period, which were to cut off the salaries of the Popular Mobilization Forces and to strike some factions, which Al-Sudani rejected ."
He explained that "the current stage includes American conditions, which does not mean accepting them, but it requires dealing with them under complex circumstances," noting that "some strikes that targeted diplomatic interests contributed to strained relations and the departure of a number of missions ."
Al-Araji pointed out that “about 90% of diplomatic missions have left Iraq, especially the Arab ones, as a result of attacks targeting some countries, which has negatively affected the political and economic reality, including the delay in the flow of dollars into the country
A billion dollars to prevent Maliki... Financial interventions shake the selection of the prime minister
The spokesman for the Sayyid al-Shuhada Brigades, Kazem al-Fartousi, stated on Thursday that one billion dollars was paid to prevent the Coordination Framework from proceeding with the nomination of Nouri al-Maliki for the premiership, calling on the leaders of the Framework and the country to free themselves from American control, and indicating that American control over the flow of dollars to Iraq is not subject to the reaction of the armed factions, but rather to the rejection of its policies in the country .
Al-Fartousi denied, in a televised interview followed by Al-Sa’a Network: “targeting Saudi facilities or infrastructure from inside Iraq,” stressing that “the target was the American military bases, in addition to responding to the sources of fire .”
He added that "20% of the strikes that targeted Iraq were directed towards the factions, while the remaining percentage targeted other targets, such as the Popular Mobilization Forces, the tribal forces, and some areas in Kirkuk ."
He continued, saying: "You have not freed yourselves from American restrictions, and you say that the dollar stopped because of us, but the truth is that the dollar stopped as a result of the American dictates imposed on Iraq."
He added, "Whoever speaks of an independent state and rejects any infringement on its sovereignty by the factions must enforce this sovereignty and prevent attacks, and not turn the state into a 'gas station' where American planes land even on rooftops, and free up his money and engage in real commercial transactions, and then he can hold us accountable even for a Kalashnikov bullet ."
He denied "the existence of coordination between the Iraqi factions and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard during the ongoing war in the region," stressing that "the factions know their duties and objectives, and have accuracy in identifying information, and that coordination was only in principle, and does not exist at the military level ."
Al-Fartousi stressed "the need to respect the Iraqi constitution, which guarantees the right to vote and run for office," saying: "We have won seats and we have the right to participate in the government ."
He asked: "Do you want to abolish the Constitution because Trump doesn't like it? Do you want to suspend it because he refuses to allow factions to participate in the government? This is a question that politicians must answer ."
He pointed out that "armed factions existed before the constitution, and he could have stipulated their prohibition if he had wanted to ."
He explained that “what is being circulated about American messages is sometimes used to eliminate opponents within the political process and to monopolize positions, as some parties try to use the American position as a pretext to exclude other parties from participating in the government .”
He added that "one billion dollars was paid to prevent the Coordination Framework from proceeding with the nomination of Maliki for the premiership," while he declined to confirm or deny the party to which this amount was paid .
A decision on the prime ministerial candidate is imminent… Monday is the date for the decisive vote.
The Reconstruction and Development Coalition indicated on Thursday that the issue of choosing a prime minister candidate will be resolved next Monday, amid ongoing political consultations within the coalition.
Coalition member Saif Al-Mansouri, as reported by the official newspaper and followed by Al-Mustaqila, said that dialogues between the concerned parties are still ongoing, noting that reaching a clear agreement on the selection mechanism would accelerate the process of deciding on the candidate’s name.
Al-Mansouri added that the coming days will be crucial, expecting that this file will be closed with the end of the constitutional deadline on Monday, especially with the escalating political and time pressures pushing towards speeding up the agreement on a single candidate.
This development comes at a time when the political arena is witnessing intense activity among the influential forces, amid anticipation of the name of the next prime minister and whether a final agreement will be reached before the end of the constitutional deadline.
No comments:
Post a Comment