Warning against using it to address the financial deficit… Economic Observatory: Iraq’s gold reserves at their highest levels
12/20/2025 Baghdad –
An economic observatory announced on Saturday that Iraq’s gold reserves have reached a record high of approximately $23.064 billion, while simultaneously warning against using or disposing of them to address the country’s financial deficit.
The observatory stated in a report that “Iraq purchased approximately 8.2 tons of gold during 2025, bringing the total reserve to 170.9 tons.” The report further explained that “this increase was distributed as follows: one ton in March, 1.6 tons in June, 3.1 tons in July, and 2.5 tons in August.”
The report indicated that “the total reserve of 170.9 tons is currently equivalent to $23.064 billion, the highest level of gold reserves in Iraq’s history.”
The observatory attributed “this significant increase to the rise in global gold prices, and not to the volume of purchases made during 2025,” explaining that “recent purchases represent approximately 6.4% of the total reserves since the beginning of this year.”
The observatory warned against “any m**********n or misuse of gold reserves to cover financial deficits, whether through selling a portion of them or investing them in high-risk ventures,” emphasizing that “gold is a sovereign asset dedicated to supporting financial stability, not to generating immediate revenue.” (LINK)