Iranian-Backed Iraqi Militias Rally at Jordan Border: A New Geopolitical Play?, 21 OCT

 Iranian-Backed Iraqi Militias Rally at Jordan Border: A New Geopolitical Play?, 21 OCT

Hundreds of Iraqi militiamen, purportedly linked to Iran, have gathered near the Jordanian border, their chants resonating across the barren landscape, demanding the route to Palestine be opened.

These protesters, numbering in the hundreds, are members of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), an umbrella organization of predominantly Shiite militias with close ties to Iran. Their sit-in at the border crossing in the western Anbar province, a stone’s throw from the Israeli-occupied West Bank, marks a curious Iranian ploy. While Iran maintains a presence in Lebanon and Syria, both sharing borders with Israel, the country has not instigated any significant action through these proxies. Instead, it is now inciting protests at the Jordanian border under the banner of the Palestinian cause.

An Echo Across the Globe

This demonstration is not an isolated event. From the bustling streets of Istanbul and Jakarta to the sprawling squares of Cairo, a swell of solidarity for the Palestinians in Gaza has sparked a wave of protests across the Muslim world. While governments in Egypt permitted gatherings at 27 locations, South Koreans, Malaysians, and Turks took to the streets, raising Palestinian flags, and demanding an end to the violence in Gaza. These demonstrations are a powerful indication of a shared sentiment, transcending borders, against Israel’s actions in Gaza, and a call for justice for Palestinians.

An Iranian Influence

The protests near the Jordanian border, however, hold additional geopolitical significance. Their orchestration by Iranian-backed militias underscores Iran’s intricate play in regional conflicts. These demonstrations serve to spotlight Iran’s recurrent support for the Palestinian cause and its condemnation of Israel’s actions. They also raise concerns about potential escalations and tensions in the region. The question remains: is this a mere show of solidarity, or is Iran signaling a more assertive posture in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

As the world watches, these protests underline the Palestinians’ struggle against Israeli aggression and the demand for an end to the violence and the blockade. They call for international intervention to hold Israel accountable for its actions in Gaza. As the echoes of these protests reverberate across the globe, one thing is clear: the Palestinian issue is not just a regional conflict but a global cause.

https://bnn.network/breaking-news/war/iranian-backed-iraqi-militias-rally-at-jordan-border-a-new-geopolitical-play/

Middle East Stabilization Challenged by Palestinian-Israeli Conflict, 21 OCT

Middle East Stabilization Challenged by Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

In the midst of a fragile calm in the Middle East and North Africa, the recent aggression by Hamas against Israel has stirred the waters, threatening the nascent stability that was gradually taking root in the region. Iraq, a nation that has endured the tempestuous winds of conflict for years, was beginning to see glimmers of economic improvement and stability. However, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has ignited a wave of pro-Palestinian protests across Iraq, throwing the nation’s delicate equilibrium into turmoil.

Solidarity and Threats

Iraqi Prime Minister, in an impassioned response to the crisis, has expressed staunch solidarity with the Palestinian cause, decrying Israeli aggression. This sentiment is echoed by Iraq’s Iran-backed militias, the Badr Organization and Kataib Hezbollah, who have shown support for the attacks and even threatened to target American interests if the US intervenes. But these threats, according to experts, are likely more theatrics than a real intent for escalation. Strategic ambiguity and unlikely conditions for escalation seem to underscore these declarations. However, the Iraqi government’s limited influence over these militias complicates its ability to intervene and manage the situation.

The American Dilemma

The situation has put the United States in a precarious position. With the potential for escalation and mounting pressure on the militias to act, the US must navigate the delicate path of addressing the plight of the Palestinian people without endorsing or tolerating acts of atrocity. The accountability of those who commit war crimes is paramount in reversing the dangerous trend of targeting civilians. As a moderating influence, the US has the opportunity to contribute to deescalation while supporting Israel’s right to protect itself against Hamas.

Israel’s Response and The West Bank Crisis

For Israel, the primary objective is to incapacitate Hamas from repeating such attacks. However, the imposition of a near-total blockade on Gaza and inflicting collective punishment on its population only strengthens Hamas’s control and could potentially trigger a protracted, bloody conflict that Hamas and its Iranian patrons desire. Israel must tread carefully to avoid repeating the mistakes of the US following 9/11, where the response to al-Qaida led to costly wars and unforeseen consequences.

Meanwhile, the situation in the West Bank is fraught with escalating tensions. Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces, increasing settler violence and a growing sense of anger are fueling a volatile atmosphere. Palestinians, feeling unprotected against Israeli hostilities, feel compelled to defend themselves, thereby contributing to the cycle of violence.

The Palestinian Authority’s Concerns

In the midst of this chaos, the Palestinian Authority (PA) is wary of the possibility of forced transfer and the impact of the conflict on the Palestinian right to return. The PA has no desire to govern Gaza if Israel succeeds in dismantling Hamas, for they do not wish for Israel’s war on Hamas to pave their way to leadership in Gaza. The PA underscores the need for a comprehensive resolution to the Palestinian issue, bringing an end to the occupation, and the establishment of a sovereign, independent state of Palestine.

In conclusion, the recent attack by Hamas has disrupted the slow path to stabilization in the Middle East and North Africa, with Iraq experiencing some economic improvement and stability. The response from Iraq’s militias and the sentiments of the Iraqi people are overwhelmingly pro-Hamas and anti-Israel. The US and Israel must find ways to address the suffering of the Palestinian people while avoiding escalation and holding actors accountable for war crimes. The situation in the West Bank is also tense, with Palestinians feeling the need to defend themselves and increasing settler violence. The Palestinian Authority emphasizes the need for a comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue and an end to the occupation.

https://bnn.network/world/israel/middle-east-stabilization-challenged-by-palestinian-israeli-conflict/

Exchange rate/you can’t kill an idea by NADER FROM MID EAST

Stability Rate IQD Iraq News

What is the importance of the “electronic platform” in the Iraqi Central Bank’s transactions? A specialist explains, 21 OCT

What is the importance of the “electronic platform” in the Iraqi Central Bank’s transactions? A specialist explains

 Today, Saturday (October 21, 2023), banking affairs specialist Hammam Al-Shamaa revealed the importance of the “electronic platform” in the Central Bank’s transactions to sell the dollar. 

 Al-Shamaa told “Baghdad Today” that “there is great importance in using the (electronic platform) in the Central Bank’s dealings with the sale of the dollar,” noting that “this platform prevented many illegal sales of the dollar as was happening previously, and it also prevented "A lot of currency smuggling operations abroad."

He explained that "Iraq cannot stop working on the electronic platform, because it was imposed on it by the US Federal Reserve, and this imposition came in order to prevent any incorrect external transfers, whose goal is only to transfer the dollar to Iraq."

Al-Shamaa confirmed, “After working on this platform, many of these operations were stopped, and for this reason some people began to rely on black transfers through some companies to extract dollars.”

On May 10, 2023, the Central Bank confirmed that it would continue to meet companies’ requests and finance the personal needs of all citizens.

A statement from the Central Bank, received by (Baghdad Today), said, “The bank continues to meet companies’ requests (financing their imports of goods and services), in addition to financing the personal needs of all citizens, such as travel, treatment, and study, through the electronic cash platform, and meeting the requests of banks and electronic payment companies to enhance... Their balances are to cover electronic payment card settlements (Visa, MasterCard) at the official exchange rate of 1,320 dinars per dollar.” 

On (February 19, 2023), the Central Bank of Iraq announced a directive to licensed banks, exchange companies, and brokerage companies buying and selling foreign currency, to apply via the electronic platform to obtain their prescribed share of the foreign currency “dollar.”

According to a document issued by the Iraqi Central Bank, it stated, “The electronic platform for the cash sale of foreign currency (FITR) must be approved as of Monday, February 20, 2023.” link

"RV UPDATE" BY BRUCE, 21 OCT

 Bruce 

  [via WiserNow]   ...we heard that once the currency sellers stopped being able to sell...It was our turn...what is remarkable about this, we have three confirmations so far from currency sellers, that they have been advised that they are no longer to sell these currencies that we have 

- which is dinar  - Dong...there's a bunch of others that are going up in value...they are no longer able to sell those  after  11:59pm [last] night - Friday night...Central time...Then all those currency sales will be shut off...that's great news for us because I think that sets the bar for us to get started.

Currency Sellers have been advised they were no longer able to sell currencies after 11:59 pm Fri. night 20 Oct. Central Daylight time.

  Once the Currency Sellers stopped being able to sell, Tier4b (us, the Internet Group) would go. The optimal time we could be notified was Sat. morning 21 Oct.

What we got in report today was all the rates are extremely good. 

And we know that the dinar came back up on the Forex yesterday and came back up on the streets for trading on forex and on the bank screen today.  The rates are very good.

Al-Alaq: Stability of the exchange rate requires changes in the Iraqi commercial system, 21 OCT

 Al-Alaq: Stability of the exchange rate requires changes in the Iraqi commercial system

Central Bank Governor Ali Al-Alaq considered, on Saturday, the process of stabilizing the exchange rate of the dinar against the dollar as a “major process” that requires changes to the Iraqi commercial system and financial transfers outside the country.

This came in his speech during the first annual banking conference hosted by the city of Erbil under the slogan “The banking sector, opportunities for advancement and the future of international companies,” in its first edition.

Al-Alaq said in his speech, “The rules stipulated in the Anti-Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Law No. 39 of 2018 must be consolidated, and international practices and standards must be applied in a way that preserves the integrity of the financial system from local and international risks and procedures, and in a way that ensures the transparency and integrity of financial operations.”

He added, "We emphasize once again that these rules are what preserve the integrity of the financial system, and even protect Iraq from serious risks, and what is related to this matter is the relationship between the application of these rules and standards and the process of external transfer and the sale of the dollar in various forms."

Al-Alaq added, “There is a close relationship between establishing these standards and the smooth flow of transfer operations, and maintaining the stability of the exchange rate. To the extent of this commitment, we can determine monetary stability and exchange rate stability, which is a major process that requires making many changes and reorganizing the commercial system in Iraq.”

And the external transfer system and what is related to that,” noting that the Central Bank “is going through this process in daily details until it leads us to the right and correct path, and every day it opens a new channel to facilitate and accelerate this process.”   link