The negotiations of the Iraqi delegation in Washington about the dollar "do not bode well"

Published: Feb. 14, 2023, 7:11 a.m.

The negotiations of the Iraqi delegation in Washington about the dollar "do not bode well"

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Two Arab newspapers reported, on Saturday, that the Iraqi delegation headed by Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein is finding it difficult to convince the US administration to ease restrictions on Iraq's access to the dollar.

The London-based Al-Arab newspaper quoted Iraqi political sources, and followed it up (Baghdad Today), that “ the indications received from Washington on the second day of the visit of a high-level Iraqi delegation, to reach new understandings regarding the conditions of the US Federal Bank regarding financial transfers in dollars, do not bode well.” ".

She added, "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 approach 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." "

On Thursday, an Iraqi delegation led by the Foreign Minister began an official visit to Washington to discuss a number of sensitive files, foremost of which is the issue of the decline in the value of the Iraqi dinar, following the measures recently imposed by the Federal Bank on the Central Bank of Iraq to "put an end to smuggling operations" of the dollar to countries that Washington imposes sanctions on. Economic, such as Iran and Syria.

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

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