IRAQ AND THE APPEASEMENT STRATEGY: A DIFFICULT BALANCE IN TIMES OF PRESSURE, 3 APRIL

 IRAQ AND THE APPEASEMENT STRATEGY: A DIFFICULT BALANCE IN TIMES OF PRESSURE

Iraq has recently faced a significant escalation in US economic and financial pressure, primarily targeting dollar transactions and Iranian gas imports, along with repeated demands regarding the future of the Popular Mobilization Forces. These pressures come as part of Washington’s efforts to isolate Iraq economically from Iran, with the aim of strengthening the effectiveness of sanctions imposed on Tehran to force it to reassess its nuclear program.

However, this policy presents Iraq with complex challenges as it attempts to maintain a delicate balance in its foreign relations.

Recent reports indicate that the United States has refused to renew the waivers that allowed Iraq to import gas and electricity from Iran. This was confirmed by Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein on March 19, 2025, who noted that Washington described the decision as “irreversible.”

This decision threatens to exacerbate the energy crisis in Iraq, which relies heavily on Iranian gas to power its power plants. Imported gas accounts for approximately 40% of the country’s total energy needs, according to estimates from the Iraqi Parliament’s Oil and Gas Committee.

On the financial front, the United States is seeking to restrict dollar transactions in Iraq to prevent its smuggling to Iran, which is suffering from massive economic pressures due to sanctions. According to a report, Washington believes that cutting off these financial arteries will directly weaken Tehran, thus strengthening the impact of the sanctions.

But this approach places the Iraqi government in a difficult position, as Iraq holds financial reserves exceeding $100 billion in the United States, making it dependent on Washington’s goodwill to access its oil revenues.

(This is why the U.S. won’t transfer the remaining DFI funds to Iraq and keep renewing exec order 13303. See it now?)

Separately, statements by the Iranian ambassador to Baghdad, Mohammed Kazem Al-Sadiq, on March 27, 2025, sparked widespread controversy when he said that US President Donald Trump’s letter to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei included a request to dissolve the Popular Mobilization Forces and other armed factions.

However, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani quickly denied any direct US request in this regard, stressing that any decision to dissolve the factions is linked to the end of the international coalition’s presence in Iraq.

For his part, MP Alaa Al-Haidari defended the Popular Mobilization Forces Law, considering it an internal matter aimed at honoring those who sacrificed for the nation.

The Iraqi government is adopting a strategy of appeasement in its foreign policy, attempting to maintain a balance between the United States and Iran, two of its historical allies. However, this approach faces increasing challenges, especially with mounting US pressure to end economic and military coordination with Tehran. Analysts believe that Washington also aims to “undermine the unity of the arenas,” the strategy Iran uses to connect its fronts in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.

Economically, Iraq is paying the price for its heavy reliance on Iran for energy. Iraqi lawmakers have called for exploring alternatives, such as Qatar and Turkey, for gas imports. However, this step requires huge investments and a long-time frame, both of which may be unavailable given the current crisis. Conversely, experts believe that economic decoupling between Baghdad and Tehran could increase pressure on Iran, but it could also cause internal unrest in Iraq, especially if the electricity crisis worsens.

STATUS OF THE RV, PART. 1 BY MNT GOAT, 3 APRIL

STATUS OF THE RV

Welcome to April! Still no RV and no its not going to happen this week…lol..lol.. 

Let me emphasize again that these RV intel gurus on the internet are playing head games with you. When will you learn their garbage is only confusing you? 

So, today I have some interesting news. I want to preface telling this news because many of you are going to off half-cocked as you normally do, by thinking the RV is imminent. It is NOT, however it won’t take long to implement this strategy either. Al-Sudani knows he might get another term,

 but nothing is certain either. So like President Trump he is moving things along. So please don’t give me your sad story bashing me that the RV did not go on ‘YOUR” timing.

Today the focus is mainly all on the Development Road Project within Iraq.

 We can now see the intent of the digital dinar and why they need it. It all now fits together nicely. Yes, it took a few weeks to figure it out.

It is to transfer funds during the series of these projects and afterwards used to export and import. 

Folks, this Development Road Project is huge and encompasses many aspects of what we have and are still learning. There are huge financers now coming forward. 

These are big players.

 Why are they all of a sudden committing all this money? 

Could it be the influence of President Trump? Could it be the announcement of the digital dinar? Could it be the announcement by Al-Sudani that the dollar is finally controlled, something that Ali Al-Alaq told us almost 6 months ago.

 These planned industrial cities are meant to produce and goods to be consumed in country and some exported abroad. The ability to manufacture and deliver exports has always been the wealth of any great nation.

Oh… so if Iraq can produce more needed goods in country and do not have to import what is this telling us? 

It is the balance of trade and making Iraq rich. Is this not where they needed to go economically? 

Is this not getting out of the sole issue of an oil based “rentier” economy? How many times must we hear about this goal in the news. Oh… did I mention the customs and tariffs that also are an integral part of this process and result from all of this trade? 

Didn’t they also told us in the past that this revenue alone could rival the oil sales? Are you putting two and two together? Actually, its much more than two and two. Let’s take a look at all the pieces:

1.Port of Faw

2.Customs and Tariffs Reforms

3.Industrial Cities

4.Development Road Project

5.All the Pillars of Financial Reforms we have been witnessing (last 2 years)

6.A non-corruptible system of payments and funding (The new Digital Dinar)

7.Currency Reform (TBD)

Are all these parts not what they have been telling us all along they needed to do in order to have the needed economic “stability” and “sustainability”? 

 I do not believe for one second, they intend to use the US dollar anymore for trade in the near future, actually they just told us this recently, so we know it's now a FACT. They told us they will be using their own currency – the digital dinar.

 If this ain’t a WOW! I don’t know what it…. lol.. lol.. lol… But how can they do this without the IQD on FOREX. I don’t know, you tell me…. 😊

Having said all this, then why are many of my readers so gloomy? Why are many of you giving up? I don’t get it. Yes, I get the frustration too. Don’t think I am not also frustrated with all the corruption that has been holding back what we want. 

https://mntgoatnewsusa.com/latest-mnt-goat-newsletter/

NOTES FROM ADAM : We are literally around the corner from notifications!! @DINARREVALUATION #iqd

 

AL-SUDANI AND ALLAWI DISCUSS GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE ECONOMIC REFORM WITH COMMENTS OF MNT GOAT, 2 APRIL

AL-SUDANI AND ALLAWI DISCUSS GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE ECONOMIC REFORM

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani discussed with former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi on Saturday strengthening government efforts to achieve economic reform.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani receives former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, and they discuss strengthening government efforts to achieve economic reform.

(You remember former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi. He was the very first prime minister for the new democratic Iraq. His second term was stolen by corrupt politicians and Nori Al-Maliki took over for the next 8 years and did not advance Iraq, in fact he is the one that corrupted the currency auctions and fed Iran billions of US dollars, not to mention ignoring most of the new constitution. Sound familiar? It is so good to see Allawi supporting Al-Sudani’s reforms and efforts to bring back the dinar to its “glory days”. 😊 Actually this warmed my heart to see the cooperation between these two men. Its been a long time…)

MNT GOAT : "CENTRAL BANK: WE WILL LAUNCH A MAJOR INITIATIVE TO FINANCE NDUSTRIAL PROJECTS", 2 APRIL

 MNT GOAT

"CENTRAL BANK: WE WILL LAUNCH A MAJOR INITIATIVE TO FINANCE NDUSTRIAL PROJECTS"

**When the CBI talks, I listen** The Central Bank of Iraq announced on Sunday its

intention to launch a major initiative to finance industrial projects in cooperation with the Trade Bank of Iraq and the Industrial Bank. 

"This initiative was recently proposed by the Cabinet as part of the government's banking sector reform program and government measures with the Central Bank," noting that "the Cabinet agreed to cooperate between government banks with a financial surplus to finance a package of industrial projects through the Industrial Bank."

 Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani confirmed the government's control over dollar sales, and that financial transfers are conducted in accordance with internationally recognized procedures. 

(WOW! WOW! WOW! This is going to get us the reinstatement.

 Are you listening? Please go to my RV Status commentary in today's Newsletter to understand why I am saying this. 

Please also read the articles aboutRafidain Bank initiatives. © € € Hang in just a little while longer. The RV is coming! )

Their words not mine.....

Mayhem with Mel, Shakalaka BOOM Call: Australia Rates on the Dinar is $31.42, Dong is $22.33 #iqd

 

TALKING ABOUT $2 BILLION MISSING AND A CATASTROPHIC SITUATION, A DEPUTY CONFIRMS THE CONTINUED SMUGGLING OF DOLLARS THROUGH “NEW METHODS., 2 APRIL

TALKING ABOUT $2 BILLION MISSING AND A CATASTROPHIC SITUATION, A DEPUTY CONFIRMS THE CONTINUED SMUGGLING OF DOLLARS THROUGH “NEW METHODS.

Parliamentarian and member of the parliamentary economic committee, Sipan Shirwani, confirmed that billions of dollars are lost in government bank accounts, pointing to “a new way to smuggle US currency to sanctioned countries.” 

“According to the reviews we conducted on the banks in the past period, we found a catastrophic situation in which Iraqi banks are operating, including those affiliated with the Ministry of Finance,” Sherwani said in an exclusive interview with Al-Jabal platform on Thursday. “When you look at the expenditures, you find billions of dollars in corruption cases,” he added, noting that “the numbers are beyond the range of expectations, and there is no oversight of these amounts.”

Sherwani stated that “in one case at the Trade Bank of Iraq (TBI), two billion dollars are missing, and in another case, two trillion dinars were given as loans to the people, and nothing was returned. This reflects negligence on the part of the bank itself and the Ministry of Finance.” He pointed out that “if there was no collusion between these parties, there is certainly a reason for the failure to return these funds. This proves the failure of the bank and the authorities responsible for managing the people’s money.”

At the same time, Shirwani added, “The smuggling of dollars abroad is continuing, and smugglers have found a way to smuggle the currency to neighboring countries and from neighboring countries to countries subject to US sanctions,” stressing that “this is documented.”

The parliamentarian said, “We see astronomical amounts of Iraq’s financial resources being squandered, left unattended, and these sums are public funds deposited by the ministry in these banks for citizens to benefit from in various projects.” He added, “These funds are being given to specific entities without revealing the identity or private information of those entities, and they are not returned.”

According to Sherwani, “There are banks that have lost an estimated two billion US dollars due to non-performing loans, and in other banks, the amount of lost funds has reached one billion dollars, or trillions of Iraqi dinars,” indicating that they “were granted to private entities, individuals, and companies.”

The MP had previously held a press conference at the Parliament’s press center regarding the “failure of the Ministry of Finance and government banks to manage state funds.” He said that “in the absence of accurate oversight, billions of dollars have been lost in government banks without any real accountability, which raises questions about the management of these financial institutions.” He pointed out that “Rafidain Bank has not been audited for more than nine years, in clear violation of transparency and accountability standards.”

He added that “TBAB has not been audited for four years, despite the volume of financial transactions it conducts,” stressing that “there are two trillion dinars in unrecovered loans at the bank, which constitutes a continuous financial drain. Financial obligations are converted from dinars to dollars, then sent to other countries and then smuggled to countries subject to sanctions. What raises suspicions about dollar smuggling operations is the disappearance of two billion dollars when it was received from Hamdia Al-Jaf at TBI.”

Sherwani pointed out that “TBI’s smart cards are ineffective outside Iraq, which requires an official explanation for this disruption. Obtaining loan funds in dinars instead of dollars leads to price differences of up to 10% between the official rate and the parallel rate, causing losses to the state treasury.”

To protect public funds and recover defaulted loans, the MP confirmed, “We contacted the Ministry of Finance and the relevant banks to obtain the required data, but TBI Bank refused to provide us with the information under the pretext of account confidentiality, ignoring its responsibility to protect citizens’ funds instead of covering up suspicions of corruption. The Ministry of Finance and Rafidain Bank refrained from responding to our official communications despite repeated confirmations.” He stressed, “Based on this, and in accordance with Law No. 15 of the Council of Representatives and its formations, we will resort to the necessary legal measures and refer the entire file to the Integrity Commission, the Financial Supervision Bureau, the judiciary, and the Public Prosecution to ensure accountability and recover state funds.”