🚨IQD RV: THE SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT RECEIVES THE CHARGÉ D’AFFAIRES OF THE US EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD

 IQD RV: THE SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT RECEIVES THE CHARGÉ D’AFFAIRES OF THE US EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD 

a day before the Extraordinary Session 6/17 Parliament Speaker Dr. Mahmoud Al-Mashhadani received the Chargé d'Affaires of the US Embassy in Baghdad, Mr. Stephen Fagin, today, Monday, and discussed the situation in the region with him. During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations between Iraq and the United States and ways to strengthen them to serve the interests of both countries. The meeting also discussed developments in the region, the Zionist attacks on the Islamic Republic of Iran, and their repercussions on neighboring countries, which are heading in an undesirable direction. President Al-Mashhadani stressed that the attacks on the Islamic Republic are condemned. The Iranian people are our neighbors, and we share geographical and Islamic ties with them. Our position is to demand an end to the war. We do not accept harm to any neighbor of Iraq, and we aspire to good neighborliness with all. President Al-Mashhadani stressed that our goal is to protect Iraq, its people, and its stability, and to stay away from conflict. We reject any violation of our sovereignty, whether on land or in the sky, or its use to attack our neighbors. For his part, the Chargé d'Affaires thanked President al-Mashhadani for making the time for the meeting, stressing that Iraq is one of the best democracies in the region, and that we are keen to establish the best relations with it. He added that Iraq has serious and ongoing security cooperation with the Iraqi security forces, and that economic and investment cooperation continues between us. He stated that the US government understands the nature of the relationship and the commonalities between Iraq and Iran, which are natural ties, and is determined to resolve the nuclear issue through a return to negotiations, which is what President Trump is calling for. Emphasizing that the United States government is not contributing to any form of attack on Iran, nor is it providing any support. We are only working to save American lives, and we hope Iran will do the same so that things do not get worse. The meeting also discussed the electoral process and the ongoing preparations for holding it on time. In conclusion, both sides emphasized maintaining communication and exchanging views on issues of mutual interest to achieve the best possible results. Media Office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives June 16, 2025

Last edited11:36 AM · Jun 16, 2025

EXCERPTS FROM MARKZ: WE ARE CLOSE! @DINARREVALUATION #iraqidinarinvesto...

Building Smart Cities Is A Qualitative Leap In The Capital's Reality

 Building Smart Cities Is A Qualitative Leap In The Capital's Reality

June 14, 2025   Governorates - Al-Zaman correspondents   Baghdad Mayor Ammar Musa affirmed the need to move forward with implementing a vision he described as comprehensive, to bring about a qualitative shift in the capital's reality. 

This came during his participation in the Iraqi Cities Conference, noting that the Baghdad Municipality has adopted the development of smart services in the city's infrastructure. In a speech during the conference, which was organized by the Federation of Iraqi Chambers of Commerce, in cooperation with the International Chamber of Commerce, and with the participation of the Arab Smart Cities Forum, Musa said, as followed by (Al-Zaman) yesterday, that "Baghdad is committed to urban development paths and sustainable city concepts."

Signing Ceremony

The Mayor of Baghdad sponsored the signing ceremony of the infrastructure contract for 11,000 housing units in the New Sadr City project, in line with the government program's directions. Yesterday's statement referred to (the signing of the infrastructure implementation contract for the construction of 11,000 housing units in the New Sadr City project), indicating that (the signing of the contract comes after successive stages of implementing this project). 

The statement added that (more than 30 specialized companies were attracted, and a solid Chinese company with extensive experience in implementing infrastructure was selected), noting that (the Projects Department of the Baghdad Municipality and the Chinese company signed the contract as part of the first step to launch housing projects, within the framework of increasing the number of housing units and expanding them towards the outskirts, with the aim of addressing the housing problem).

Baghdad Municipality is planning to build 20 pedestrian bridges in the capital, distributed among densely populated areas. Baghdad Municipality spokesperson, Uday Al-Jandil, said in a statement yesterday that "the Projects Department will soon implement a plan to maintain 10 pedestrian bridges, 7 of which are in Rusafa and 3 in Karkh," indicating that "maintenance work will begin in the coming days, pursuant to the formation of a specialized committee to determine maintenance needs, which have been referred to a specialized company for rehabilitation and reconstruction." 

For its part, the Ministry of Planning discussed the challenges facing the Social Fund for Development projects in Sulaymaniyah Governorate, with the participation of representatives of the World Bank and relevant authorities, to discuss the administrative and technical challenges hindering the implementation of its projects, and to expedite contracting and procurement procedures.

Sulaymaniyah Deputy Governor for Technical Affairs, Ahmed Ali Ahmed, emphasized the importance of the Social Fund for Development in supporting local development efforts, expressing his hope to find solutions to the multiple challenges that he emphasized affect the speed and efficiency of project implementation in Sulaymaniyah, including administrative procedures, technical and financial conditions, as well as economic and environmental conditions. 

In turn, the Director of the Social Fund for Development, Hazem Ahmed Saleh, explained that the meeting comes as part of the Fund's commitment to implementing projects and improving services by developing real solutions that expedite work and reactivate stalled contracts. Sabah Jundi Mansour, the Fund's supervisor, stated that the service projects implemented in various areas play an effective role in improving infrastructure.

 In a related development, the Baghdad Water Directorate, affiliated with the Ministry of Construction and Housing, is moving towards establishing additional complexes to improve distribution among the population. 

“The maximum energy we produce is in line with the global standard for water consumption per person, which ranges between 250 and 300 liters per day per person, and the amount may increase to 350 liters per citizen per day,” said the director general of the directorate, Hekmat Abdul Majeed Hamid, in a statement followed by Al-Zaman yesterday. 

He pointed out that “the amount of water produced is distributed among the population, but the challenge lies in the fairness of distribution and the difference in population densities between the Karkh and Rusafa areas.”

In Najaf, Governor Yousef Gnawi laid the foundation stone for a project to build a 3,000 cubic meter water complex in the city of Al-Mundhir and Al-Ridha, at the site of the Al-Mundhir district water complex. Gnawi said in a speech during the ceremony yesterday that "the project comes within the ongoing efforts to strengthen the water infrastructure in the governorate and improve the level of water services provided to residents," adding that "it contributes to supporting the water system in the region and meeting the needs of citizens and residential complexes located within the aforementioned geographical area."

Warsi Gnawi and the head of the provincial council, Hussein Al-Issawi, laid the foundation stone for the project to establish a training stadium and develop the Kufa Sports Club stadium. 

During the ceremony, Gnawi stressed, “The Najaf administration is keen to advance the sports sector by establishing and rehabilitating stadiums and sports facilities,” noting that “these projects constitute part of supporting the sports and youth movement and strengthening its role in society.” 

He continued, “The project includes the establishment of a modern training stadium with high technical specifications, in addition to rehabilitating the front facade of the Kufa Sports Club stadium, to a level befitting Najaf sports and its history,” as he put it.

Security Duties

Karbala Police Directorate Media Officer Colonel Engineer Ihsan Youssef Al-Asadi confirmed that "the External Road Protection Department in the Directorate carried out a number of security duties to enhance security and provide protection for pilgrims arriving in Karbala, in accordance with the directives of Governor Nassif Al-Khattabi."

Al-Asadi explained to Al-Zaman correspondent yesterday that "these measures or duties included securing the three external axes as well as setting up temporary checkpoints, which contributed to the arrest of a number of violators, in addition to securing the pilgrims' cities and organizing the passage of pilgrims in cooperation with traffic checkpoints within the framework of the joint effort to protect lives and property." 

Youssef pointed out that "the security forces were able to provide first aid to a number of people injured as a result of a traffic accident, which reflects the concern of these security forces for the humanitarian aspect in addition to the security tasks assigned to them." Al-Asadi stressed the continuation of these security measures to ensure the safety of pilgrims and citizens alike."  LINK

TIDBIT FROM SANDY INGRAM

 Sandy Ingram 

 Imagine this, you're a Princeton graduate student on a research trip in Iraq, then suddenly you're kidnapped.  That's exactly what happened to Elizabeth Tsurkov who was taken last year while working in Baghdad. 

 She's been held by a Shiite militia group ever since...Word on the street is Elizabeth could be freed soon...

The US currently has Iraq on its highest travel warning level 4, do not travel...If she's released safely, it signals to the world and especially the US that Iraq is making an effort to resolve dangerous situations.  

It's not a guarantee but...lifting the travel ban would open doors for tourism, investment and academic exchange...

While freeing 1 person won't automatically erase years of warnings...

sometimes small steps are all it takes to start big change.  Here's hoping Elizabeth comes home soon and Iraq move closer to opening its doors once again.

Fnu Lnu :The Dinar is now getting International attention! @DINARREVALUA...

Iraq warns of an escalation of the war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz: Damage will affect the global economy

  Iraq warns of an escalation of the war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz: Damage will affect the global economy

 Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein explained that the current conflict between Iran and Israel will cause significant damage to the global economy, especially if it extends to the Strait of Hormuz. During a phone call with his British counterpart, David Lammy, Hussein emphasized that Israel is violating Iraqi airspace and that the international community must take action to prevent these violations.

 Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fuad Hussein received a call from his British counterpart to discuss developments in the regional crisis and ways to de-escalate the situation.

On Monday, June 16, 2025, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Fuad Hussein received a phone call from British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, during which they discussed rapid regional developments and ways to avoid escalation.

During the call, the British minister affirmed his country's support for Iraq's stability and the need to keep it neutral from any attacks or conflicts. He emphasized the importance of controlling the situation and preventing any interference by what he described as "armed groups" in the ongoing conflict. He explained that Britain has not participated in any military operations, and that it is in ongoing contact with France and Germany to coordinate positions, in addition to consulting with the American side on developments in the war.

Minister Lammy also stressed the need to return to the negotiating table regarding the nuclear program, warning of the danger of any attacks on American or British forces deployed in the region, regardless of the perpetrator. He added that the United Kingdom believes that diplomatic solutions are the only way to avoid further escalation, praising Iraq's role in this regard despite the sensitivity of its geographical location and the complexities of the regional situation.

For his part, Mr. Fuad Hussein expressed his gratitude to his British counterpart for this communication, emphasizing the importance of the British role in calming the situation, whether through European tripartite cooperation (Britain, France, and Germany) or through coordination with the United States.

The Foreign Minister pointed out that the continuation of the war would have serious repercussions for the region and the world, explaining that "there are no victors in this war," and that its continuation could cause major economic crises, particularly if it extends to the Strait of Hormuz, which could lead to a global economic crisis.

Fuad Hussein affirmed that Israel continues to violate Iraqi airspace, and that these violations constitute a blatant violation of Iraqi sovereignty and international law. He emphasized the need for the international community to take serious steps to halt these violations and work to contain the conflict.

For his part, Minister Lammy noted that closing the Strait of Hormuz would create a severe economic crisis for Britain and Europe and would lead to higher inflation rates. He emphasized the need for joint action to avoid further deterioration and resolve this crisis through political and diplomatic solutions. link

AJ: This Week in Markets: Major Interest Rate Announcements from Three Central Banks

 AJ

This Week in Markets: Major Interest Rate Announcements from Three Central Banks

DUBAI...Also Iran has been urgently signaling that it seeks an end to hostilities and resumption of talks over its nuclear programs, sending messages to Israel and the U.S. via Arab intermediaries, Middle Eastern and European officials said. The central bank events and economic data releases impact on markets this week in June 2025: These events, combined with their accompanying statements, often drive significant volatility across forex, bond, and equity markets also crypto. But the Fed is anticipated to keep rates unchanged. Tuesday Bank of Japan (BoJ) Interest Rate Decision & Press Conference The BoJ is expected to maintain its short-term interest rate at 0.5%. U.S. Retail Sales Data Retail sales figures will offer a critical gauge of consumer spending, potentially influencing expectations for Federal Reserve policy and broader market sentiment. Wednesday Federal Reserve Interest Rate Decision & Press Conference The Fed is widely anticipated to keep rates unchanged at 4.25%–4.5%, reflecting caution due to potential inflationary pressures from tariffs and a solid labor market. Chair Jerome Powell’s remarks will be closely watched for guidance on future rate cuts and the impact of U.S. trade policies. Thursday European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde’s Press Conference While no ECB rate decision is scheduled for this week, President Lagarde’s speech is expected to address recent economic projections and monetary policy stance. With eurozone inflation at 1.9% in May, below the ECB’s 2% target, her comments may hint at future rate cuts to support growth amid trade concerns. Traders and Fund Managers are always prepare for potential market reactions to policy signals and economic data.