Baghdad raises the dollar exchange rate after 4 months of denial... and hides the date of the currency replacement from the "big players".
The framework was approved at Al-Hakim's house... and (Al-Mada) revealed the plan to change the exchange rate in June
Raising the dollar exchange rate to over 1,500 dinars may not be the last surprise Baghdad has in store.
While Iraqi markets have begun adjusting to the new rate, the government, according to informed sources speaking to Al-Mada, is preparing for a more sensitive step: replacing the currency and removing zeros. The sources say the process could begin within a few months, perhaps at the start of next year, but no later than the first quarter of 2027.
The video for this My FX Buddies Blogpost is below here:
But there's another reason behind the timing.
Sources believe that replacing the currency could help track down at least $200 billion believed to be held by corrupt individuals. Therefore, according to these sources, the measure is being kept secret until now. Early talk of a currency change could give those with illicit funds time to act. They could buy dollars, real estate, or convert the money into assets that are difficult to link to the cash they will later be asked to exchange.
For this reason, the sources say, Baghdad wants the money to reach the point of exchange before the news reaches them.
The dollar comes first.
This potential move follows a decision by Baghdad regarding the dollar, a decision it had denied for nearly four months. Yesterday, the government announced that the selling price of the dollar to the public would become 1,520 dinars, compared to the previous 1,320 dinars.
In June, the government confirmed that there were no plans to print money or devalue the dinar to compensate for the liquidity shortage.
The Central Bank at the time denied any intention to adjust the exchange rate, after media outlets circulated a forged document indicating the possibility of raising the dollar price to 1,600 dinars.
According to Central Bank Law No. 56 of 2004, the exchange rate of the local currency against foreign currencies is determined by the Central Bank's board of directors. However, the bank stated yesterday that the decision was made "in light of the current economic and financial circumstances," and based on a recommendation from the Council of Ministers, with the aim of meeting the financial requirements of the general budget, relying on the provisions of the amended Central Bank Law No. 56 of 2004.
The Central Bank attempted to reassure the market that the decision did not signify a shortage of foreign currency. He stated that the bank's reserves were "sufficient" to meet foreign trade financing demands, settle bank card payments abroad, and facilitate cash sales to travelers.
In the parallel market, however, the reaction was swifter than the official figures. The dollar surpassed 1,800 dinars, up from less than 1,500 before the amendment, while wholesale markets in Baghdad closed due to the price volatility. The decision came approximately three and a half months after Nizar Nasser Hussein assumed the position of Central Bank Governor, succeeding Ali Mohsen Al-Alaq in June.
For the government, the decision to raise the exchange rate by 20 trillion dinars is not without its clear benefits. Initial estimates indicate that the new exchange rate will add approximately 20 trillion dinars to the budget.
However, this figure comes at the expense of a larger one: a projected deficit of around 65 trillion dinars in the 2027 budget.
In response to the exchange rate adjustment, MP Miqdad al-Khafaji called on members of parliament to convene an immediate emergency session to compel the government to reverse the increase in the dollar exchange rate.
In a statement, al-Khafaji said the decision comes "at a time when political blocs are preoccupied with ministerial appointments and creating new positions that further burden the state budget," adding that the exchange rate increase "adds a new burden to the Iraqi citizen." He emphasized that raising the exchange rate directly leads to price increases and a decline in the purchasing power of employees and citizens with low incomes. He stated that "the public, already burdened by crises, cannot bear any new burdens." He demanded that the interests and livelihoods of citizens be prioritized above all other considerations and that the decision be immediately reversed to avoid its repercussions on local markets.
Economic researcher and consultant Ziad al-Hashemi sees the matter from a different angle. For him, changing
the exchange rate is not reform so much as it is "buying time" and delaying the path of financial reform.
He says that genuine reform requires stringent measures and decisions that "the powerful will not accept."
Therefore, according to al-Hashemi, the easiest option becomes devaluing the dinar and making the public bear the responsibility for the government's financial and administrative failures.
This disagreement places the dollar decision within a broader economic plan that Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi presented as a reform plan for the economic system. According to what was presented about the plan, it was supposed to be implemented in coordination with the US administration and include American investments in exchange for resolving the issue of weapons, a path that is now faltering.
Al-Mada was the first to reveal, in a report published on June 11, that the plan is based on three tracks: changing the exchange rate, selling indebted institutions, and recovering funds from corrupt individuals. The plan was discussed and approved at a meeting of the Shiite Alliance held that same month at the home of Ammar al-Hakim, leader of the Hikma Movement.
Since then, the government says it has recovered more than one trillion dinars, in the form of cash and real estate, through its anti-corruption campaigns.
Al-Zaydi says this money will be added to a new fund.
“We established the Generations Fund, and allocated 1.5 trillion dinars to it,” he said.
In a recent meeting with tribal sheikhs in Baghdad, al-Zaydi said that reforming the Iraqi economy requires attracting foreign investment, asserting that by 2031, Iraq’s oil production will reach 10 million barrels per day.
But Iraq is not living in 2031, and the government, according to previous statements, needs at least 10 trillion dinars monthly to cover salaries and public expenditures.
Oil constitutes about 90% of the budget revenues.
But al-Hashemi fears that a large portion of these savings will go toward funding an already bloated government apparatus.
He believes that much of the difference resulting from exchange rate fluctuations will likely be used to further increase the number of employees in a government that already suffers from a significant surplus, with reports of new appointments.
The parliamentary finance committee had reported that approximately one million contract workers and temporary employees would be given permanent positions within the 2027 budget.
Former MP Majid Shenkali believes these appointments are difficult to separate from the new financial calculations.
He stated that changing the exchange rate to cover the budget deficit, while the government continues to expand its regularization and appointment programs, represents a "complete disconnect from reality, both financially and politically," amidst rapidly evolving regional and international developments.
A budget that pays the price for the past,
and the initial figures for the 2027 budget reveal the extent of the pressure. According to the Finance Committee and experts, the budget amounts to approximately 218 trillion Iraqi dinars.
Oil revenues are estimated
at around 144.720 trillion dinars. Public expenditures reach 217.239 trillion dinars, including 47.897 trillion dinars for investment spending and 169.342 trillion dinars for operational expenses.
Salaries for permanent employees amount to 68.125 trillion dinars, an increase of 8.951 trillion dinars.
Al-Hashemi states in a post that the details of the new draft budget confirm that the Iraqi government has done little to overcome the painful repercussions of the war with Iran, and that it aims to burden the people with a large share of the suffering they "do not deserve."
The dollar rises first... Baghdad is keeping the date for currency replacement secret for fear of a move by "big players".
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Raising the price of the dollar to more than 1500 dinars may not be the last surprise that Baghdad has in store .
As Iraqi markets began to deal with the new dollar exchange rate, the government is preparing for a more sensitive step, which is replacing the currency and removing zeros from it. The process may begin within a few months, perhaps at the beginning of next year, but should not exceed the first quarter of 2027, according to Al-Mada newspaper .
The newspaper, in a report seen by Al-Sa’a Network, quoted its sources as saying that “replacing the currency could help to lock up at least $200 billion believed to be in the hands of corrupt individuals, and therefore the procedure is being kept secret until now .”
She added that “talking too early about changing the currency may give those with illicit funds time to act. They can buy dollars, real estate, or convert the money into assets that are difficult to link to the cash they will be asked to exchange later,” indicating that “Baghdad wants the money to reach the moment of exchange before the news reaches it .”
She pointed out that "real reform requires strict measures and decisions that the big players will not accept," adding that "the easiest option is to reduce the value of the dinar and hold the public responsible for the government's financial and administrative failures ."
The report noted that "this dispute places the dollar decision within a broader economic plan that Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi had presented as a reform plan for the economic system," indicating that "it was supposed to be carried out in agreement with the US administration, and to include the entry of US investments in exchange for ending the arms issue, a path that is now faltering ."
He explained that "the initial figures for the 2027 budget reveal the extent of the pressure, and according to the Finance Committee and experts, the budget amounts to about 218 trillion Iraqi dinars," indicating that "oil revenues amount to about 144 trillion and 720 billion dinars ."
He added that “public expenditures amount to 217 trillion and 239 billion dinars, including 47 trillion and 897 billion dinars for investment expenditures, and 169 trillion and 342 billion dinars for operational expenditures,” noting that “the salaries of employees on the permanent staff amount to 68 trillion and 125 billion dinars, an increase of 8 trillion and 951 billion dinars .”
He explained that "the details of the new draft budget confirm that the Iraqi government has not done much to overcome the painful repercussions of the war on Iran, and that it aims to burden the people with a large part of the pain that they do not deserve
One day after the exchange rate adjustment decision... A source at the Central Bank of Iraq told the Iraq Observer: We are monitoring every detail of market activity, curbing speculation, and continuing to bolster banks' dollar reserves to meet their needs.
A source at the Central Bank of Iraq stated that the bank's procedures to bolster banks' reserves to meet their import financing needs are ongoing.
Speaking to Iraq Observer one day after the exchange rate adjustment, the source added that the bank is closely monitoring all market developments and is committed to curbing speculation to achieve a fair dollar exchange rate in the Iraqi market, thus protecting the rights of Iraqi citizens and strengthening the value of the Iraqi dinar.
The source concluded by reassuring all citizens, business owners, and merchants that the financial situation in the country is under control and that dollars are available in all Iraqi banks to meet the import needs of traders.
Urgent directives from President Al-Zaydi to regulate the markets:
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Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi issued a set of directives on Thursday to regulate Iraqi markets. The directives included the following:
- Postponement of customs duties on imports of red meat, poultry and eggs.
- Postponing the collection of customs duties on the import of live cattle and calves and opening the import of poultry and table eggs.
- Price reductions at “Al Taawon Hypermarket” centers for all items that have seen price increases in the markets.
Iraqi PM: Speculators Benefited from Previous Dollar Rate Differential night meeting
Al-Zaidi said he took office when Iraq’s public debt had exceeded 208 trillion Iraqi dinars ($137 billion) and the government needed to secure around 10 trillion dinars ($6.6 billion) every month to meet its financial obligations.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi told Parliament on Thursday that speculators had benefited from the gap between the previous official exchange rate and the parallel-market rate, as his government defended its decision to devalue the Iraqi dinar amid mounting fiscal pressures.
Speaking to the Council of Representatives, Al-Zaidi said he took office when Iraq’s public debt had exceeded 208 trillion Iraqi dinars ($137 billion) and the government needed to secure around 10 trillion dinars ($6.6 billion) every month to meet its financial obligations.
“Despite the crisis, we managed to pay salaries,” Al-Zaidi said, according to a statement from his Media Office.
The prime minister said his government had faced three choices: imposing compulsory savings and leaving public employees without immediate income, paying salaries every 45 days, or borrowing further and adding to Iraq’s already heavy debt burden.
“I took office while our economy was under siege due to the halt in oil exports and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” Al-Zaidi said, adding that the previous dollar exchange-rate differential had been captured by speculators.
Iraq’s Cabinet approved a new exchange-rate structure this week, with the Central Bank setting the dollar selling price at 1,520 dinars for the public, up from about 1,320 dinars previously. The Finance Ministry’s purchase rate was set at 1,500 dinars per dollar, while banks receive dollars at 1,510 dinars.
The move came as Iraq faces a severe revenue squeeze caused by disruptions to oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz. Oil revenues account for more than 90 percent of the federal budget, while Iraq’s crude exports fell substantially during the disruption. The government’s 2027 draft budget projects spending of about 217 trillion dinars ($166 billion) and a deficit exceeding 40 trillion dinars ($30 billion).
The exchange-rate decision has triggered criticism from lawmakers, with some MPs calling for the measure to be reversed and warning that a weaker dinar could increase import costs and put additional pressure on household purchasing power.
The prime minister further accused unnamed parties of attempting to create divisions between the government and different segments of the population.
Al-Masoudi: Al-Zaidi gave the green light to American companies to take control of energy projects.
Former Member of Parliament Riyadh al-Masoudi asserted on Thursday that Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi has given American companies the green light to completely control energy projects in Iraq, without any restrictions or conditions. Al-
Masoudi told the Information Agency, "Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi is merely a listener and executor of Trump and his administration's directives. He is the weakest link in implementing Washington's policies, even though they are not in the interest of the Iraqi people. Moreover, al-Zaidi has given American companies the green light to completely control energy projects and other vital projects without any restrictions or conditions."
He added, "The country's economic and security policies remain weak due to American interference in internal affairs, in addition to the weakness of the Iraqi negotiator, al-Zaidi, in dealing with issues that affect the country's sovereignty." He further stated, "Al-Zaidi has not achieved any notable accomplishments, and all the signed agreements benefit America, not the Iraqi people."
The Central Bank Governor tells Parliament: The new exchange rate is fixed and can never be changed.
clearly a bad translation of course it can be changed they just changed it hahaha
A parliamentary source reported on Thursday that the governor of the Central Bank informed members of the parliamentary finance committee that the exchange rate of the dollar would remain fixed at 1,500 dinars, stressing that it could not be changed.
The source told Shafaq News Agency that the Central Bank Governor explained to the committee members that any change in the dollar exchange rate within the general budget law would lead to a change in all the budget tables and items that were built on the basis of an exchange rate of 1,500 dinars per dollar.
He added that the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank did not come to the House of Representatives building, while the Governor merely informed the members of the Finance Committee of the Central Bank’s position on the new exchange rate.
The parliamentary finance committee was scheduled to hold a meeting with the finance minister and the central bank governor to discuss the decision to change the dollar exchange rate and its repercussions, in addition to discussing the draft federal budget law, but the officials did not attend parliament.
The Speaker of Parliament decided to cancel today’s scheduled session, which was to include hosting Finance Minister Faleh Sari and Central Bank Governor Nizar Nasser Hussein to discuss the repercussions of the decision to raise the exchange rate of the dollar against the Iraqi dinar, and to settle for holding a meeting of the Finance Committee.
The Central Bank announced yesterday, Wednesday, the adoption of new exchange rates, according to which it set the price of buying the dollar from the Ministry of Finance at 1500 dinars, and selling it to banks at 1510 dinars, and to the public at 1520 dinars, starting from October 7, 2026.
$3.5 billion to stabilize the dollar... The Sudanese coalition is banking on Al-Zaidi's connections in Washington.
Mansour Al-Baiji, a member of the Reconstruction and Development bloc, stated that Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi will exploit his strong relationship with the US Treasury to extract $3.5 billion and inject it to maintain the exchange rate in the parallel market, noting that the House of Representatives will pass the budget at this price, and it will be based on exporting 4.3 million barrels, at a price of $58,000 per barrel. If we do not sell, we will resort to borrowing because we have no other solutions.
Al-Ba’iji said in a televised interview followed by Al-Sa’a Network that “the members of the Finance Committee have prepared proposals and will submit them to the Prime Minister, as it is assumed that food and medicine will be exempted from customs duties in order to maintain their prices, as well as fixing social welfare salaries in the budget and not manipulating them, and these are points related to the life of the citizen .”
He added: "The government has a viewpoint based on the fact that it sells to the merchant at 1320 when he imports, then sells at the parallel market rate, i.e., at 1500, meaning that he profits twice with this dollar, and this difference goes into the pockets of speculators, and the government is to blame for this. So the government saw fit to set the dollar at 1500, and the exchange rate will stabilize at a rate ranging between 155,000 and 160,000 dinars per 100 dollars, as 3.5 billion dollars will be injected into the markets. The Prime Minister has a strong relationship with the US Treasury, which will provide the government with about 20 trillion, and the government will give commitments to stabilize the exchange rate in the parallel market ."
He continued, "The House of Representatives monitors the government, but if the government had included the decision to amend the exchange rate in the budget, many problems would have arisen. However, the government's decision was bold, and it adopted the new exchange rate before the budget reached Parliament ."
He pointed out that "the dollar, at its highest point, will reach 160,000 dinars, and there is cooperation between Al-Zidi and the US Treasury, and the dollar will be injected, and the exchange rate in the parallel market will decrease to 155,000 dinars per 100 dollars, and the government in this case will benefit by 20 trillion ."
He explained that “previously, the money went into the pockets of speculators or to political parties and blocs. For your information, the dollar crises in the past were fabricated by some traders and banks that were collecting dollars to raise its price and make profits in the billions. There was smuggling. Now even smuggling will decrease, and most of the smuggled dollars go to Turkey and the Emirates. When the exchange rate rises, speculators will not be able to benefit from it, whereas when it was at 1320, they were profiting from it. Smuggling towards Turkey and the Emirates is more than smuggling towards Iran .”
He explained that “the House of Representatives will pass the budget at this price, but the Prime Minister must maintain the exchange rate in the parallel market. The House of Representatives and the political blocs will give him a grace period to control the parallel market of 3 months and perhaps more. The budget will be based on exporting 4 million and 300 thousand barrels, with a price of 58 thousand per barrel, and an exchange rate of 150 thousand for 100 dollars. If we do not sell, we will resort to borrowing because we do not have solutions. The current deficit and all debts amount to 43 trillion
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ISC: We Are Working to Build a Strong and Attractive Market for Investment
hairman of Iraq Securities Commission-ISC, Faisal Al-Haimus, confirmed today, Thursday, that the capital market is a tool for financing companies and directing savings toward investment, while he pointed to work to build a strong and attractive market for investment.
Al-Haimus said at the Sixth Global Investor Day Conference, attended by a correspondent of the Iraqi News Agency (INA): “Iraq is now at a stage in which it is opening a new economic page, whose title is diversifying the economy, expanding investment opportunities, and building partnerships based on trust and common interests.”
He explained that “the capital market is not merely a space for trading, but rather a tool for financing companies and directing savings toward investment, and transforming opportunities into projects that contribute to the growth of the national economy.”
He added that “the Securities Commission is working to build a more efficient and transparent market, through developing legislation, enhancing governance and disclosure, keeping pace with digital transformation, and consolidating investor protection.”
He continued: “The market begins with trust, and trust begins with information. The more aware the investor is, and the more transparent the market is, the closer we become to a strong Iraqi financial market that is attractive to investment.”
Investing in Iraq: A five-year strategy to revitalize the stock market
Investment in Iraq is heading towards a new path to activate the stock market, through a proposed national strategy aimed at converting savings into capital, and then into productive investments that support growth, employment and diversification of the economy.
The Prime Minister’s financial advisor, Mazhar Muhammad Saleh, proposed on Thursday the preparation of a national strategy for the development of the capital market for five years.
Saleh said during the 6th World Investor Day conference that “economic recession represents a challenge that goes beyond the decline in growth rates and the decline in business activity, as it is reflected in investment, job opportunities and the level of confidence in the economy,” explaining that “in such circumstances, the importance of the capital market emerges as one of the channels through which savings can be mobilized and directed towards investment and productive sectors.”
He added that “the Securities Authority can play an important role as it is the entity that can regulate capital, develop its structure, enhance trust and transparency, and protect the investor.”
He continued, “The fundamental question is not the Authority’s ability to address the recession and how to utilize its regulatory authority to be more capable of mobilizing capital and directing it towards investment and production by revitalizing the stock market, as it is a wheel that contributes to increasing investment, production, employment, and diversifying the economy, especially expanding and encouraging institutional investment.”
He continued: “We propose preparing a national strategy for the development of the capital market for the next five years,” noting that “this proposal is submitted to the conference for adoption in the name of the Prime Minister’s Office.”
He pointed out that “the goal is not just for stocks to rise, but for the market to be able to secure savings into capital, capital into investments, and investment into production that provides job opportunities, so that securities become one of the most important drivers of the Iraqi economy.”
How will you regulate the parallel market?
Asaib Ahl al-Haq to al-Zaydi: We want clear commitments to control the dollar, otherwise we will stand against you.
MP Ahmed Al-Khazali, from the Sadiqun bloc, pledged on Thursday (October 8, 2026) to stand up to Al-Zidi if he does not present solutions and pledges to control the exchange rate in the parallel market during his appearance in Parliament shortly. Al-Khazali, in a conversation with journalist Nour Al-Majid, on Al-Oula channel, which was followed by the 964 network , promised a parliamentary session to be broadcast in full view of the people, to explain what solutions Al-Zidi will present to the crisis.
Ahmed Al-Khazali stated that “what happened yesterday was a crisis. The government did not calculate the matter clearly, as evidenced by the fact that the Minister of Finance was a guest in the Parliamentary Finance Committee, who asked him about the exchange rate, and he told them that the exchange rate would be raised at the beginning of next year to be 1500, but we did not expect that the matter would happen overnight, or let us say overnight, as we were surprised by the decree ordering the raising of the exchange rate, and the House of Representatives moved to cancel its session and turn it into a discussion session, and the voices were loud yesterday.”
He added: “The parliament’s goal in hosting the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, the Governor of the Central Bank, the heads of political blocs, and the heads of parliamentary blocs today is to get answers. When the Prime Minister decided to change the exchange rate, what were your preparations? How will you stand up to the market? The exchange rate reached 158,000 dinars per 100 dollars, while the official bank rate was 132,000 dinars per 100 dollars. Today, after raising it, the 20,000 dinars remained in the parallel market, and it even rose further to 189,000 dinars, had the Governor of the Central Bank not decided to inject some dollars to maintain the dollar’s price in the parallel market at 168,000 dinars per 100 dollars.”
He continued, “If you decide to raise the exchange rate to generate 18-20 trillion that will go to the state treasury, there is also an important question! How will you maintain this rate? How will you introduce additional currency into the market? How will you control the exchange offices? I believe that if the government pledges to control the parallel market rate, then I think the severity of the crisis will lessen. There must be an answer from the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, and the Governor of the Central Bank regarding the measures to control the market after raising the exchange rate, otherwise the Parliament will stand against them, and the Iraqi people look at the Parliament with astonishment.”
He pointed out that “the House of Representatives is waiting for the answers that will be provided by the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank, and there is an upcoming session in the presence of the Iraqi people in which we will clarify the picture of the government’s procedures for raising the exchange rate, and how it is dealing with the problem.”
Maliki's bloc: Calls to withdraw confidence from al-Zidi's government due to the rise in the dollar
exchange rate
MP Falah al-Khafaji, from the State of Law Coalition, revealed that there are parliamentary trends to withdraw confidence from the government of Prime Minister Ali al-Zidi if the decision to raise the dollar exchange rate continues, stressing that the decision surprised the House of Representatives and it was not informed of it beforehand.
Al-Khafaji said that the House of Representatives will host the Minister of Finance and the Governor of the Central Bank, with the possibility of summoning the Prime Minister, noting that the continued repercussions of the decision may push parliamentary voices to demand a vote of no confidence in the government.
He added that changing the exchange rate is a decision for which several parties bear responsibility, including the coordinating framework, the heads of political blocs, and the Minister of Finance, stressing that the decision was taken without putting in place solutions to protect the middle and poor classes.
He explained that most of the MPs were not aware in advance of the change in the exchange rate, despite the issue being raised in a limited way during the Finance Committee meeting with the Minister of Finance, who informed the MPs at the time that there was no intention to change the exchange rate.
He pointed out that raising taxes, customs duties and prices of petroleum products, in conjunction with changing the exchange rate, has led to harm to citizens and a state of stagnation in the markets.
The Cabinet had decided to amend the exchange rate of the dollar, so that the final selling price for citizens and non-bank financial institutions would be 1520 dinars per dollar instead of 1320 dinars.
The Association of Islamic Banks: We support the reform steps adopted by monetary and governmental institutions.
Extending the deadline for handing over weapons... Will the Al-Zaidi government renege on its most prominent pledges?
Questions are increasing in Iraqi political circles regarding the decision of Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s government to back down from the September 30 deadline for resolving the issue of restricting weapons to the state, amid political interpretations that see the extension of the deadline as a retreat from one of the most prominent principles on which the government was founded.
Observers believe that restricting weapons to the state was not a secondary issue in Al-Zaydi’s government program, but was presented as one of the government’s main priorities, within the framework of consolidating state authority and ending any manifestations of weapons outside its official institutions.
According to these readings, failure to adhere to the September 30th deadline puts the government before a political test, especially since the date was linked to a phase that official discourse described as “Sovereignty Day,” coinciding with the end of the international coalition’s mission and the withdrawal of US forces from Iraq.
Observers believe that the scene that accompanied the celebrations of Sovereignty Day carried a political paradox, as some of those clinging to weapons appeared presenting their armed presence as part of the force that contributed to the withdrawal of American forces, which, according to them, put the government in a political and popular embarrassment, especially since the government’s discourse was simultaneously moving towards emphasizing that the decision of war, peace and weapons should be within the institutions of the state.
Observers believe that backing down from resolving the issue on the announced date may open the door to questions about the extent to which the al-Zaidi government is able to implement its basic commitments, especially since the weapons issue was one of the most sensitive issues in the relationship between Baghdad and Washington, and between the government, political forces, and armed factions.
The debate is not limited to the Iraqi interior, as observers believe that any setback in this matter may also be reflected in the shape of American policy towards the al-Zaidi government during the next stage, considering that Washington may reassess its approach to the relationship with Baghdad if it concludes that the government is unable or unwilling to implement its commitments regarding restricting weapons to the state.
On the other hand, extending the deadline may be interpreted from another perspective as a governmental attempt to manage a highly complex political and security issue, and to avoid a sudden shift to measures that could trigger an internal confrontation, especially given the entanglement of the issue with political forces and factions that possess broad influence.
Between these two paths, the Al-Zaidi government finds itself facing a delicate equation: either to proceed with implementing its pledge to restrict weapons to the state, even gradually, or to face political accusations of backtracking on one of the most prominent promises upon which its government was founded.
As the debate continues, the most prominent question in political circles remains: Does extending the deadline merely postpone the procedures for resolving the weapons issue, or is it an indication of a broader change in the approach of the Al-Zaidi government towards one of the most sensitive issues in the Iraqi scene?
Today the 18 Pro Max went up by 425,000 dinars, I swear. Half the goods are already on the new pricing, the other half are still the same. So we can’t raise everything yet.0:08
We can’t raise it just like that. Right now I ordered flour and he told me there’s none — he said “only on the new pricing.” Until we see the new pricing, we’re stuck right now.0:15
Because today, like what happened on the 11th when oil went up by seven, we’re a country of crises — everything affects us. The price of every product is going to go up. For example, the iPhone screen…0:23
…I have to raise it on the customer. It’s a small world you control, but on the global level this doesn’t stop. Food might stop, but phones don’t stop, right? Look, there has been some slowdown, but on a personal level, thank God, there is still some buying.0:40
The citizen today isn’t used to these prices, but tomorrow he’ll have no choice — he has to buy. Prices have changed for you today, of course they have. And anyone who tells you they haven’t changed is lying.0:49
The main authorized distributor raised the device by 425,000 Iraqi dinars from the source. From the main source, completely. The 18 Pro Max today went up 425,000. Every time the dollar rises, you can be sure the phone will rise, and everything in the market will rise. The only one who gets hurt is the citizen, unfortunately. Even the ones who stocked up earlier raised their prices too.1:14
Of course. Today if you have 10 devices, when you sell them the money from those 10 devices — what will you buy with it? You’ll have to buy another ten, or maybe only six. You’re forced to raise your prices. Today, whatever your profession is, you’re forced to raise the price. Right now I ordered flour…1:31
…he told me there’s none. He said “on the new pricing.” Until we see the new pricing, we’re stuck. And of course it’s in the warehouses, but he said only on the new pricing will he send it to you. Right now he won’t send it.1:39
We’re a country of crises — everything affects us. Yes, everything. Even if something happens across the oceans, we get affected here. You have flour? What’s the current price of a bag of flour? Right now I put it at eight…1:56
…eight thousand. That’s the official price for now. Yes, until… look at the situation tomorrow, of course. Not tomorrow — right now our warehouses are full of it, thank God. Let’s wait until the warehouses empty, then God is generous.2:04
Half the goods are on the new pricing, the other half are still the same, so we can’t raise them yet. Because some things are well-known and their prices are known. Yes, and most things have already gone up. What went up? Meat, processed foods, dairy, cheese — those went up today. Today they went up, yes.2:29
And the ones that were already stocked a few days ago stayed the same. They stayed the same. But the new ones — the ones we bought two days ago — their price went up. Eggs: we still have old stock, so we’re selling them at the same price — a tray for 8,000. The new ones we haven’t bought yet. We still have about 4,000 trays left.2:43
Yes, but when the new eggs come in… I don’t know, I really don’t know. Look, we might not even bring them in, especially eggs, because they spoil honestly. Three eggs for a thousand, two eggs for a thousand… it’s a disaster. Before this period, before the dollar went up, some things had already risen automatically because of customs and rising prices and so on. Now the most important thing is that everything will increase for us. It all affects everyone.3:13
Yes, you mean spare parts — when they go up, you raise them on the citizen, right? Of course, because I have a source I buy spare parts from, and he’ll raise the price on me. For example, the iPhone screen — I have to raise it on the customer so I can buy a new one again for the next customer, and the same with accessories and all those other things. Like I told you, it affects everyone — private sector or public sector. If you’re a government employee, everything is affected. Even salary delays might happen, and financial deficits, like what they posted on Instagram and other social media.3:46
As for the price of the old stock — for now we’re not raising it yet. But today in Al-Ashar the situation is rising. They’re watching the dollar’s situation. Because today, like what happened from yesterday to the 11th, oil went up by seven, eggs went up, everything went up. Everything is rising. But later, when the new stock comes in, then yes — all the goods that go up will go up.4:09
Everything goes up, everything, because it’s all linked to the paper (the dollar). Before they said “Hormuz Strait,” but it wasn’t just Hormuz. No, it went up a lot more. Right now from the customs tariff alone it went up by 6,000.
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