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By Ahmed Tabaqchali, Chief Strategist of Asia Frontier Capital (AFC) Iraq Fund, for the London School of Economics (LSE) Middle East Centre.

Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

The Empire Strikes Back: Trump 2.0 and Iraq's Dollar Accounts at the Federal Reserve

This piece [provides] an overview of Iraq's oil revenue and the foreign reserves accounts held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York (FRBNY), given T1's other threat to Iraq in 2020 that it could lose access to these accounts.

Click here to read the full article.

By John Lee.

Back in January, Iraq Business News ran an online survey asking opinions on a revaluation of the Iraqi dinar following the inauguration of US President Donald Trump.

This survey did not pretend to be scientific, as respondents were self-selecting, leading to a high risk of sampling bias, but it served to show that among dinar speculators there was some currency (pun intended) to the idea that the re-election of Trump to the White House would have a bearing on developments.

Astonishingly, more than half of respondents expected the Iraqi dinar to revalue by at least 1,000x in the first 100 days of Trump's term. You can see a graph of the responses below.

More than two months into that period, Trump has not done or said anything to support this theory, despite false claims to the contrary on the internet.

But rather than finally accepting that they have paid good money for the false hope of ludicrous returns, dinar speculators (or 'dinarians', as they sometimes like to call themselves) continue to reinforce each other's beliefs on online message boards and dismiss all logical arguments against their position.

Please let us know your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

For more information on the Iraqi dinar, check out IBN's Dinar Page here: https://www.iraq-businessnews.com/the-dinar-page/?swcfpc=1 

See also: The Iraqi Dinar Revaluation Scam: False Hope, Financial Deception

To learn what's really happening in Iraq, check out our news here, and our library of reports here.

By Hamdi Malik and Michael Knights, for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Iraq's PMF Law Is No Substitute for Real Security Reform

The Trump administration should not be duped by the supposed "reforms" that militia leaders are considering in parliament, which threaten to turn the PMF into another Iranian "Revolutionary Guard" and keep U.S.-designated terrorists in key posts.

Click here to read the full report.

By John Lee.

US National Security Advisor Mike Waltz held a call with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani on Sunday, reaffirming Washington's commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Baghdad.

Mr. Waltz extended Ramadan greetings and expressed concern over recent flooding in Baghdad. Discussions focused on economic cooperation, with Prime Minister Al-Sudani outlining his government's reforms to foster a stable, transparent, and investment-friendly environment. He reiterated Iraq's commitment to expanding economic ties with the US and attracting American investment.

Mr. Waltz linked the non-renewal of the sanctions waiver on Iranian electricity exports to President Trump's "maximum pressure" strategy against Iran, citing concerns over nuclear development and regional security threats. He encouraged Iraq's energy independence and called for greater US private sector involvement in Iraq's oil and gas sectors.

He also urged Baghdad to resolve contract disputes with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and settle arrears owed to US energy firms. Additionally, he proposed the appointment of an investment coordinator to facilitate US business operations in Iraq.

Both sides reaffirmed their strategic partnership, stressing the importance of building a self-reliant Iraq capable of maintaining sovereignty and stability.

Full statement from the Media Office of the Iraqi Prime Minister:

Prime Minister Mohammed S. Al-Sudani received a phone call today, Sunday, from U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz, during which both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening and deepening the strategic partnership between Iraq and the United States.

The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation in economic and security matters. Prime Minister Al-Sudani reiterated Iraq's commitment to expanding economic relations with the United States, encouraging American companies to invest in Iraq's growing market. He also reviewed key reforms and initiatives implemented by his government to create a stable, transparent, and investment-friendly environment.

For his part, National Security Advisor Waltz encouraged Iraq to engage more with American companies and work to resolve obstacles facing U.S. businesses operating in the country, including in the Kurdistan Region. He stressed the importance of facilitating their work and investment in Iraq.

Both sides also emphasized joint efforts to build a strong Iraq capable of self-reliance. The discussions covered resolving outstanding issues and the role of American companies in supporting Iraq's economic development. The United States reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Iraq's energy independence and expressed readiness to cooperate in accelerating progress toward this goal.

On security matters, Waltz reiterated the United States' unwavering commitment to Iraq's security and stability amid regional and international challenges. Both sides underscored the importance of continued cooperation to safeguard Iraq's sovereignty and long-term stability, especially given the current regional conditions.

Waltz also noted that the decision to end the waiver for Iranian-supplied electricity aligns with the Maximum Pressure Policy, emphasizing the need for bilateral coordination to mitigate any potential impact on Iraq's stability.

The call reaffirmed the strong partnership between Iraq and the United States, with both sides expressing a shared vision for a secure, prosperous, and sovereign Iraq.

Full statement from U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Waltz:

National Security Advisor Mike Waltz spoke on Sunday morning with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa al-Sudani.  The National Security Advisor wished Prime Minister Al-Sudani a Ramadan Kareem, and expressed his concerns regarding the recent flooding in Baghdad.

Mr. Waltz emphasized the importance of moving towards a win-win relationship based on mutual security interests and enhanced trade.  Mr. Waltz noted that the decision to not renew the waiver of sanctions on Iranian electricity exports was consistent with President Trump's "maximum pressure" strategy on Iran, and that pressure on Iran would increase if Iran continued to develop a nuclear weapons capability and support terrorism across the region, including in Iraq.

Mr. Waltz welcomed the Iraqi Prime Minister's efforts to achieve energy independence for Iraq, and encouraged the Iraqi government to welcome more western and U.S. energy companies into Iraq's oil and gas sectors.  The National Security Advisor urged the Iraqi government to work with the Kurdistan Regional Government to address remaining contract disputes and pay arrears owed to U.S. energy companies, and also requested that the Iraqi government retain an investment coordinator to work with U.S. companies seeking to invest and operate in Iraq.

The National Security Advisor thanked the Prime Minister for his commitment to the bilateral U.S-Iraqi relationship, and emphasized the Trump administration's commitment to deepening energy and economic ties between the two countries to benefit both the American and Iraqi peoples.

(Sources: PMO, @MikeWaltz47)

By David Schenker for The National Interest. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Iraqis Fear That Trump's America Will Depart Once and For All

Baghdad has good reason to be concerned about the trajectory of the U.S.-Iraq relationship.

Click here to read the full report.

By John Lee.

The Federal Ministry of Oil has confirmed the completion of procedures for resuming the export of oil produced in the Kurdistan Region through Ceyhan Port (pictured), in accordance with the mechanisms outlined in the Budget Law and its amendments and within Iraq's OPEC production quota.

In a statement on Saturday, the Ministry said it has called on Kurdistan authorities to hand over the produced quantities from operational fields to the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) to begin exports via the Iraq-Turkey pipeline and Ceyhan Port, under contracts signed with the nominated companies.

Sources told Reuters that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration put pressure on Baghdad to allow oil exports from the Region, to offset a potential fall in Iranian oil exports due to increased sanctions on Iran. Reuters adds that Farhad Alaaldin, a foreign affairs adviser to the Iraqi Prime Minister, denied that there had been a threat of sanctions or pressure on the government.

Oil exports via the Iraq-Turkey Pipeline (ITP) were suspended in March 2023 following a dispute between Baghdad, Erbil and Ankara.

(Sources: Ministry of Oil, Reuters)

From Kurdistan24. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Trump Cancels US Exemption for Iraq to Import Electricity and Gas from Iran

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday revoked Iraq's exemption to import electricity and gas from Iran, reinforcing Washington's campaign of maximum pressure on Tehran.

This decision comes as part of a new package of sanctions targeting Iran's energy sector and its broader economic ties.

Click here to read the full article.

By Ben Fishman, for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News.

Trump's Foreign Assistance Review Prioritizes Funding Over Policy

The U.S. government has demonstrated a long-term interest in supporting the Iraqi security forces, investing $1.25 billion to improve their capabilities since 2015.

Click here to read the full report.

By John Lee.

A leading Iraqi economist has predicted that US President Donald Trump's pressure to reduce oil prices will harm the Iraqi economy, and could lead to a devaluation of the Iraqi dinar.

In a post on Facebook, Dr Nabil Jaafar Al-Marsoumi, former Professor of Economics at Basra University, and member of the Advisory Board of the Iraqi Economists Network (IEN), said:

"Following Trump's demand for Saudi Arabia and OPEC to reduce oil prices to provide cheap energy and expedite the end of the Russian-Ukrainian war, OPEC Plus's abandonment of its cuts amounting to 4.650 million barrels will be implemented within a few weeks. Oil prices will decrease as Trump planned, and oil revenues for oil-exporting countries will decline.

"However, the greatest harm will be to Iraq. Although its production will increase by approximately 220,000 barrels per day, the drop in oil prices to 60 dollars will put Iraqi finances in severe distress, as it financially means a reduction in Iraqi oil revenues by about 15 billion dollars, which will need to be secured through domestic borrowing.

"If prices drop to 50 dollars, devaluing the dinar will become one of the important options to increase public revenues denominated in dinars to reduce the deficit gap in the general budget!"

(Source: Nabil Jaafar Al-Marsoumi)

By John Lee.

Just a month ago, Iraq Business News ran an article examining the possible connection between support for Donald Trump and a belief in the Iraqi Dinar revaluation theory -- the idea that the Iraqi Dinar (IQD) will revalue ("RV") to as much as 1000 times its current value.

You can read the full article here:

https://www.iraq-businessnews.com/2024/12/21/donald-trump-and-the-great-iraqi-dinar-revaluation/?swcfpc=1

With the swearing-in yesterday of Donald Trump as 47th President of the United States, some have high hopes of an imminent revaluation of the Iraqi Dinar.

Let us know your thoughts on the likelihood of an unprecedented revaluation using the poll below:

This survey is now closed.

The results were as follows:

You can also let us know your thoughts in the Comments Section below.

For more information on the Iraqi dinar, check out IBN's Dinar Page here: https://www.iraq-businessnews.com/the-dinar-page/?swcfpc=1 

See also: The Iraqi Dinar Revaluation Scam: False Hope, Financial Deception