Al-Nusairi affirms that the Central Bank's approach to banking reform and development contributes to accelerating Iraq's accession to the World Trade Organization.
The Parliamentary Finance Committee settles the controversy over the 2025 budget schedules. What about promotions and contract renewals?
A little thought and a little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money.
I know lot of investors in currency world are going through a lot of hardships.
Just be kind to each other it doesn't cost dollars.
Iran–US talks and future of Iraqi armed factions: Sovereignty vs. Resistance
Shafaq News/ As indirect talks between the United States and Iran unfold across European capitals, a recurring theme resurfaces in Washington’s vision for the Middle East: stability, sovereignty, and the monopolization of force by recognized states.
American officials—under the administration of President Donald Trump—have consistently emphasized their objective to foster peace and security in the region. Central to that vision is dismantling armed non-state actors, particularly in Iraq and Lebanon, where paramilitary groups continue to operate with significant influence.
This issue appears to be one of the core agenda items in the ongoing Iran–US dialogue. Following the conclusion of a second round of talks
in Rome on Saturday, Iranian state media described the negotiations as "constructive."
These discussions began on April 12 in Oman and are reportedly led by Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. A third round is scheduled for the coming weekend, with speculation mounting that Iraqi factions—especially those aligned with Iran—are a major point of contention.
Trump Doctrine: One Force, One State
According to Lebanese strategic analyst and retired Brigadier General Saeed al-Qazah, the Trump administration's Middle East roadmap revolves around a core principle: sovereign states must monopolize the use of violence.
“There can be no lasting peace or stability in the Middle East without the disarmament of militias and their absorption into the structures of legitimate state institutions,” Al-Qazah told Shafaq News, adding that neutralizing all armed factions outside the state’s framework is essential. “Whether they claim resistance or defense, such groups must be dissolved or placed under state command under national laws and political decisions.”
In this context, Iraq is undergoing what al-Qazah described as a “steady transition” toward centralized authority over the use of force. “The Iraqi state is moving toward ensuring that all armed groups operate under the umbrella of the state, through organized frameworks that align with the country’s sovereignty,” he said.
Legitimacy vs. Autonomy: Fate of PMF
While Baghdad has made some efforts to regulate the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a broader constellation of armed forces with varying loyalties and objectives continues to complicate the picture. Member of Iraq’s parliamentary Security and Defense Committee, Mohammed al-Shammari, told Shafaq News that “the PMF, while a legally recognized entity under the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, still includes factions that operate autonomously with ideological motives, independent of the state.”
This autonomy, he explained, remains a key concern for the US. “Washington wants to see these factions disbanded, seeing them as external to the state and often hostile to US interests. The US is willing to pursue their dismantling by any means—political or otherwise,” al-Shammari stated.
Still, he acknowledged a reality many in the region understand well: “Tehran is a strategic actor that makes calculated decisions in line with its interests, and it will act in ways that serve its broader vision, including its regional alliances.”
Tehran’s Response: Resistance is a Red Line
From Tehran, however, the message is markedly different. Mehdi Azizi, director of the New Vision Center for Studies and Media in the Iranian capital, pushed back against suggestions that Iran would abandon its regional allies in the name of diplomacy. “Iran doesn’t need proxies or proxy wars,” he said. “The Islamic Resistance in Iraqis an independent force that defends Iraqi sovereignty against US arrogance and Israeli threats.”
In his interview with Shafaq News, Azizi insisted that “the resistance in Iraq is a domestic issue and unrelated to Iran–US negotiations,” describing as “misleading” the idea that these discussions are a pretext for dismantling regional armed movements.
“There are political and media efforts to insert the issue of armed factions into the Rome talks, but Iran will not negotiate away its principles or its support for the Axis of Resistance in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Yemen,” he asserted.
Azizi’s remarks reflect a broader Iranian stance: while Iran may engage in diplomacy, it remains committed to the strategic alliances that define its regional influence.
US Strategy and Path Forward
Still, for the United States—and its regional allies, notably Israel—the existence of these factions remains a point of tension. Dr. Aqil Abbas, an expert on American foreign policy, believes that the future of Iraq’s armed groups is ultimately tied to the outcome of US-Iran negotiations, whether they end in confrontation or compromise.
“Washington and Tel Aviv both support dismantling the factions and the PMF, which they see as an integral part of the Resistance Axis,” Abbas explained. But dismantling is more complex than it sounds.
Abbas outlined two possible scenarios: integrating the groups into the Iraqi Army either as individual fighters or as intact units. But both paths have complications. “If they’re integrated as factions, their internal command structures may remain intact, and the integration won’t be effective. The US won’t accept this,” he said.
“And if they’re merged as individuals, the question becomes how such integration would be monitored and enforced. There’s a lack of clarity on execution,” Abbas added.
“Regardless, these factions will not maintain the same power they once had, not just because of US pressure but due to internal Iraqi shifts as well.”
A Precarious Balance
Ultimately, the fate of Iraq’s armed factions sits at the intersection of geopolitical strategy and domestic politics. While the US continues to push for the demilitarization of non-state actors, Iran defends what it views as legitimate resistance groups. Iraq, meanwhile, finds itself in the middle—striving to assert sovereignty without plunging into internal conflict.
With another round of talks on the horizon and rising regional tensions, the coming weeks may offer greater clarity—or further uncertainty.
MZ: We spend the first hour cutting up with Matt and Lucas and CBD Guru’s today...then the news.
MZ: Not a lot of news this morning….possibly because its Easter weekend. The bond side was very quiet overnight.
MZ: There are some very happy bond holders….and we are seeing movement. It is all positive.
MZ: I do have a group facilitator….one who is helping with the process, who is traveling this weekend (very unusual over Easter) to the Midwest. I am hoping this is indicative of timing.
Mark, do you think they’ve reached the 30% threshold on the bond movement? thanks
MZ: I do not think they have reached 30% yet….but we are really close to it.
Underwater progress: Second section of Grand Faw Tunnel successfully submerged
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Iraq marked the completion of a key phase in the construction of the immersed tunnel at Grand Faw Port, a major infrastructure project underway in the southern province of Basra.
In an interview with Shafaq News, Farhan Al-Fartousi, director of the General Company for Ports of Iraq, confirmed that the second segment of the tunnel was successfully positioned beneath the Khor al-Zubair navigation channel.
The section was submerged to a depth of 23 meters, with 12 meters of water above it. Measuring 126 meters in length and weighing 45,000 tonnes, the segment is equipped with advanced balance and guidance systems that enabled accurate placement and alignment with the first segment previously installed.
With the second segment in place, the completed portion of the tunnel now extends 441 meters out of a planned total of 1,244 meters.
In February, the company reported that the project contractor had started installing flotation devices, GPS systems, and surveying towers on the first tunnel segment in preparation for its immersion. These tools were used to ensure precise alignment of the structure beneath the navigation channel.
Al-Fartousi noted that all technical aspects of the tunnel are under close supervision by the company’s engineering teams in coordination with an Italian consultancy. He emphasized the importance of precision in the planning and execution process, stating that “every calculation must be exact; there is no margin for error in a project of this scale and complexity.”
The immersed tunnel forms part of the strategic Grand Faw Port project. Once completed, it will link the Faw Peninsula with the Umm Qasr area through an underwater route. The company expects construction of the tunnel to be finalized by the end of this year.
Al-Nasiri confirms the Central Bank's methodology for banking reform and development that contributes to accelerating Iraq’s accession to the World Trade Organization
Samir Al-Nassiri, the economic and banking advisor, during his participation in the specialized workshop held by the Ministry of Commerce to discuss the organization of Iraq to the World Trade Organization,
stressed the role of the banking sector in contributing to accelerating the organization and the important role of the financial and banking sector in it and referred to the investigator in 2023 and 2024 of the procedures Carried out by the central bank in cooperation with the government mainly with regard to regulating foreign trade financing and the electronic platform Direct between banks and global correspondent banks
(ending the currency auction Dec 31,2024) based on the approved reform and development methodology, official data and monetary policy indicators for 2024 and planned for 2025 and 2026 in cooperation with international consulting firms specialized in this field and compliance with financial globalization and standard international standards adopted in member countries of the World Trade Organization.
Al-Nasiri explained about the most prominent axes of the banking reform project launched by the Central Bank this month in the presence and participation of the Prime Minister.
He drew attention to the war of the customs duties launched by the American administration and its effects in the medium and long term on the principles of standardization of fees. (Non oil revenues)
KMC for the member states of the organization, and what are the means of confrontation that will be adopted by the World Trade Organization and the Alkat Organization for the regulation of customs duties at the international level.
The workshop was held in the presence of the members of the governmental national committee concerned with the organization, in which Iraq currently occupies the status of observer with 21 other countries with 166 countries with full membership. In addition to the presence of representatives of the relevant ministries, the private sector and unions.
