The latest news from Iraq – oil, gas, business and more – brought to you by Iraq Business News
By Simon Kent. US Defense Secretary Ash Carter has met with Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Abdullatif al-Zayani and six of his counterparts from the GCC, to discuss the war against the so called Islamic State in Iraq. The meeting comes ahead of a planned GCC summit this week, which Barack Obama will attend. But underlying the […]
By Simon Kent. Iraqi Central Bank Governor Ali Al-Alak has said that Iraq is issuing bonds to the value of around $2 billion in the next few months, following last year's aborted issuance after investors demanded too high a yield. At the time, investors demanded an 11% yield on the bonds, and the issuance was handled […]
By Wassim Bassem for Al-Monitor. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. BABIL, Iraq — Under the rule of former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki (2006-14), $150 million was allocated to the construction and development of public schools in several Iraqi areas. Yet only […]
By Simon Kent. The National Iranian Gas Transmission Company has announced that 100km of pipeline has been completed on the Iranian side of the border, part of a planned 270km network to take gas to power stations near Baghdad. The project is part of a deal signed between both countries in 2013, whereby Iran would export […]
By Simon Kent. Iraq's representative to OPEC Falah Al-Amri has announced that plans are underway for a second round of talks on freezing OPEC output in June. Currently, Iran is now the sticking point in any such deal, aiming for 4 million BPD by March, and one Iranian official has called talks by non-OPEC members of […]
By Simon Kent. A think tank has estimated that the so called Islamic State have suffered another major blow to their finances, losing another 30% of their income in the course of a year. The news comes after reports in January that the group slashed the salaries of fighters by over half. In that respect, […]
By Simon Kent. Hard-line cleric Moqtada al Sadr has given PM Haider al Abadi (pictured) until this afternoon to announce new nominees for a new "technocratic cabinet," a reform idea first touted in February, although the composition of the cabinet will depend on parliament. Abadi has called on parliament "to convene immediately in order to overcome the […]
By Simon Kent. Iraq's Ministry of Defence has announced that a delivery of three SU-25 ground attack aircraft have arrived in the country for the fight against the so called Islamic State. The Russian made SU-25, known by its NATO code name "Frogfoot," is a slow moving but heavily armed ground attack jet, and several […]
By Simon Kent. US Defense Secretary Ash Carter has announced that 200 more advisers and trainers will be joining the effort to re-vamp the Iraqi army ahead of a planned offensive to re-take Mosul, the last major urban stronghold of the so called Islamic State in Iraq. The development is more significant than numbers alone, […]
By Simon Kent. The Iraqi Children Foundation (ICF), is hosting its fourth annual "In their shoes" 5K Run/Walk in Alexandria, Virginia on Saturday, May 14th to benefit Iraq's most vulnerable children – its orphans, street children and kids fleeing ISIS. Funds raised provide social services and legal aid to children at risk of trafficking and recruitment by terrorist […]
By Simon Kent. When Coalition aircraft began targeting ISIS oil operations last year, they did so under strict rules of engagement that were designed to minimize civilian casualties: many of those transporting the oil were deemed civilians trying to earn a living under ISIS rule. Tactics in the early days of the Tidal Wave II […]
By Simon Kent. Iraq's southern oil exports remained close to their recent record of 3.37 million bpd, which was hit in November, Reuters reports. Possibly lessened by several days of maintenance work at the Single Point Moorings at the Basra terminals, the figures for December were slightly lower, at 3.27 million bpd. This closes a good year […]
