Will Iraq be affected by the halt in dollar shipments? An economist answers: Its share is only 7%.
Will Iraq be affected by the halt in dollar shipments? An economist answers: Its share is only 7%.
2026-04-22
Shafaq News – Baghdad
Mahmoud Dagher, a financial expert and former director general at the Central Bank of Iraq, confirmed on Wednesday that there has been no official announcement yet regarding the suspension of dollar shipments to Iraq, noting that what is being circulated in some media outlets is not based on official sources.
Dagher told Shafaq News Agency that “the Central Bank of Iraq and the government have denied the existence of any such decision, and the US Treasury Department’s website does not contain any information confirming this,” indicating that “what is being circulated is an attempt by some parties to exploit the media situation during the government formation phase.”
He added that “this news may have a psychological impact on the street, but it has not yet caused any exceptional change in the dollar exchange rate, as the current fluctuation is normal and very similar to the effects of tensions and wars.”
Dagher explained that “cash shipments arriving by plane from the United States represent only about 7% of Iraq’s total daily dollar needs,” noting that “the largest percentage of the demand is met through import financing transfers and the banking system.”
He pointed out that “the dollar is still available to cover imports as well as to meet the needs of pilgrims,” ​​stressing that “the financial situation is relatively stable despite the current circumstances related to the state of conflict, and no significant repercussions have yet appeared in the market.”
Earlier today, US officials revealed that the United States had blocked the transfer of approximately $500 million in Iraqi oil revenues to Baghdad, citing the stalled efforts to dismantle pro-Iranian factions.
The Wall Street Journal quoted the US State Department as confirming that Washington expects Iraq to take concrete steps to dismantle these groups, stressing that Baghdad’s “failure” to prevent attacks targeting US interests and its allies in the region casts a negative shadow on bilateral relations between the two countries.
shafaq.com
