There are no signs of the Iraqi delegation achieving any breakthrough in Washington regarding the dollar crisis
There are no signs of the Iraqi delegation achieving any breakthrough in Washington regarding the dollar crisis
2-11-2023
Iraqi political circles say that the indications received from Washington on the second day of a high-ranking Iraqi delegation’s visit to reach new understandings regarding the conditions of the US Federal Bank regarding financial transfers in dollars do not bode well.
The circles point out that the press conference that took place between US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and his Iraqi counterpart Fouad Hussein did not include any indications of an American tendency to ease these conditions or implement them in a gradual manner, and that Blinken’s statements did not depart from the circle of repeated public speech about his country’s keenness to strengthen partnership with Iraq.
This indefinite visit is of great importance to the Iraqis, due to the revival of their local currency, which in recent weeks has witnessed a serious decline, which caused an unprecedented wave of high prices, which led to protest marches.
The Federal Reserve imposed strict measures on dollar transfers, which US and Iraqi officials said were “aimed at curbing money laundering and the illegal transfer of dollars to Iran and other heavily sanctioned countries.”
The procedures include establishing an electronic platform – which the Central Bank of Iraq began implementing in early December – that requires accurate details of foreign transfers that take place from Iraq.
Among the Iraqi demands of the US administration is to postpone work on this platform until users know how to deal with it, but Washington has reservations about that, considering that this problem belongs to the Iraqis because the agreement on it took place about two years ago.
During the joint press conference with his American counterpart in Washington, the Iraqi foreign minister thanked the United States for “its support for Iraq in its war against ISIS,” and stressed “continuing to work together on the basis of building the Iraqi economy,” adding, “We need your support in various fields, and we will continue our cooperation.” “.
For his part, Blinken said, “We are working to strengthen the Iraqi economy and reintegrate it into the region in accordance with the strategic framework agreement that connects the two countries,” explaining, “We are now focusing very intensively on the economic dimension of that agreement.”
In 2008, Washington and Baghdad concluded a “strategic framework” agreement that paved the way for the exit of US forces from Iraq at the end of 2011 after eight years of occupation.
Blinken stated that “there will be a special focus on energy and electricity in the strategic framework agreement,” adding that Iraq “can and must be independent in the field of energy.”
He pointed out that “US President (Joe Biden) had a very good conversation with the Iraqi Prime Minister a few days ago, stressing moving forward in strengthening the strategic partnership that unites Iraq and the United States.”
In his statements, Blinken did not mention the main issue related to the issue of the dollar, in an indication that the US administration did not respond to the Iraqi demands, which was apparently grabbed by the forces of the coordination framework loyal to Iran, which returned to launch a campaign against Washington, accusing the latter of waging an economic war on Iraq. .
Aqil al-Fatlawi, a member of the Al-Fateh Alliance, said that the World Bank and the US administration are using the Swift platform to impose their will and blackmail Iraq, adding that the United States has passed the stage of military domination and moved towards economic domination through those institutions under the international cover.
And he considered that “those institutions are a bad example of domination and starvation of peoples,” and continued that “the United States at the present time is still the restrictive and pressing element on the Iraqi economy, especially after Iraq’s exit from the seventh and sixth items.”
Al-Fatlawi called on the government to take more steps to disengage from the US Federal Reserve, and indicated that “the government has actually started its steps in this direction to lift the restrictions that the US Federal Reserve controls.”
Observers believe that the reactions of the members of the Al-Fateh Alliance are due to the great embarrassment caused to them by the American measures, in terms of ways to smuggle dollars to their sponsor, Iran.
Observers point out that the United States is not on track to change its position on the measures taken, for the simple reason that it does not trust the current regime that governs Iraq and which owes allegiance to Tehran.
The Iraqi government had sought to take a number of confidence-building measures with Washington prior to its delegation’s visit, including launching a campaign against those involved in forging fake supply receipts, allowing large amounts of hard currency to be transferred abroad, and banning financial companies and banks from dealing with the central bank through a window. Selling hard currency.
During recent days, the Iraqi dinar incurred significant losses that exceeded 30 percent of its value against the dollar, and the Iraqi market witnessed a dangerous rise in the levels of prices of food and consumer goods, compared to what it was less than a month ago.
The Iraqi government fears that its measures taken so far will not have an effect on restoring the stability of the dinar, which could generate angry popular reactions.
Baghdad and a number of Iraqi provinces have witnessed protest demonstrations in recent days, in response to the high price of the dollar.
rawabetcenter.com
