TNT – “News Tidbits From TNT” Wed. Morning 4-1-2026

Tishwash:  A delegation from the Kurdistan Democratic Party arrives in Baghdad

 An informed source reported today, Tuesday (March 31, 2026), that a delegation from the Kurdistan Democratic Party has arrived in Baghdad.

The source told Baghdad Today that “a delegation from the Kurdistan Democratic Party arrived in the capital, Baghdad, to discuss the missile and drone attacks targeting the Kurdistan Region, in addition to a number of political issues related to the internal Iraqi situation.”

The source indicated that “the delegation includes Fadel Mirani, head of the working body in the political office, Fawzi Hariri, head of the office of the presidency of the region, Nawzad Hadi, member of the central committee, and Omid Sabah, member of the central committee.”

He added, “The delegation is scheduled to hold a series of meetings with Iraqi political forces to discuss the issue of missile and drone attacks that targeted areas in the region during the past weeks, in addition to the issue of forming the new Iraqi government, and the dialogues related to electing a new president for the Republic of Iraq during the next stage.”

The delegation’s visit comes amid continued regional tensions resulting from the war between Iran on one side, and the United States and Israel on the other, and the accompanying repeated targeting in Kurdistan. The visit also coincides with broad internal political activity to resolve the requirements for forming the government and agreeing on a candidate for the position of President of the Republic.  link

Tishwash:  MP: The session to elect the president is not yet decided, and postponement is possible.

Former MP, Arif Al-Hamami, confirmed on Tuesday that the session scheduled for April 11 to elect the President of the Republic has not yet been decided, noting that setting the date came as a result of initial understandings that have not reached the stage of final confirmation.

Al-Hamami told Al-Maalouma that “the Iraqi parliament’s setting of a session on April 11 to elect the president is still not decided among the political forces, and it cannot be confirmed that it will be held at this time,” indicating that “postponing the date remains very possible in light of the lack of mature agreements.”

He added that “Iraq is going through a difficult phase and multifaceted challenges, which requires a clear political decision to complete the formation of the government, starting with the election of the President of the Republic, up to the assignment of the candidate of the largest bloc, in order to proceed with managing the current crises, especially the financial and economic files.”

Al-Hamami indicated that “next week will witness a series of important meetings in Baghdad between various political forces,” noting that “these meetings may lead to outcomes that push towards greater consensus regarding the April 11th session, including the forces of the Coordination Framework, in preparation for electing the President of the Republic and tasking the candidate of the largest bloc.”  link

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Tishwash: The oil speculation market and the Iraq crisis

 The equation for determining the equilibrium price of crude oil globally is burdened with variables. Economic growth and its role in stimulating demand on one hand, and production levels and their role in the size of supply on the other hand, lead to determining the equilibrium price.

These are data that represent (internal) variables in the function. In addition, there is another set of variables that affect the determination of that price level, including wars, political events, supply chains, in addition to expectations related to major economies, alternative energy sources, weather seasons, and others, all of which are considered (external) variables in the function.

What concerns us here is that variable that operates silently and in the shadows, which is the oil speculation market. What is this market? How does it work? What is its size? And the important question is, can Iraq invest in it during its current crisis? 

It is a financial market where securities, such as oil futures contracts, are traded. These contracts are speculated upon to generate financial returns by investing in fluctuations in global oil prices.

This market includes various types of investors, such as hedge funds, banks, and other financial institutions. The New York, London, and Shanghai stock exchanges are among the most important of these markets.

What is striking about this market is the volume of trades taking place in it. In contrast to the actual daily oil production, which is estimated at about (100) million barrels, the value of contracts traded in the market is between (10 – 30) times, i.e., from one billion to three billion barrels.

This reflects the high levels of financial returns achieved by this trading and the extent of its impact on the course of the oil market in general, and thus its role in determining the equilibrium price of crude oil globally.

Like other variables that make up the oil structure in Iraq, and given the absence of a specialized oil financial center in Iraq and the nature of the oil policy of SOMO and behind it the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, which focuses on selling only real oil without a financial trading aspect, this means that Iraq does not achieve a presence in this market.

Iraq’s oil does not enter those markets in the form of contracts with different maturities that are subject to speculation, but rather it is sold through direct contracts, and this is a deficiency in the general structure of Iraqi oil policy.

The events taking place in the region, especially the decision to close the Strait of Hormuz, which is considered the oil lifeline for Iraq since we export the majority of our oil through it, have put Iraq in a very critical phase that may lead to a financial crisis in light of the disruption of oil exports.

Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the characteristics of this financial market and to urge those concerned in the Iraqi Ministry of Oil to find ways to communicate with these markets and offer futures contracts at competitive prices as much as possible to find a financial resource that addresses the current problem of the cessation of most oil exports.

There should be a lesson learned from what is happening now, and we should adopt future policies that work to create an active role for Iraq in the oil financial speculation market.  link

Tishwash:  A Chinese-Pakistani initiative to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East: an immediate ceasefire, securing the Strait of Hormuz, and a comprehensive peace process.

China and Pakistan announced a joint initiative aimed at restoring peace and stability in the Gulf region and the Middle East, following official talks held Tuesday in Beijing between Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Pakistani counterpart, Muhammad Ishaq Dar.

The two sides exchanged views on the rapidly evolving situation in the region, amid escalating regional tensions. They agreed to propose a five-point initiative based on a set of practical steps to contain the crisis and prevent its further escalation.

The initiative includes a call for an immediate cessation of hostilities, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive ceasefire and urgent action to prevent the conflict from spreading. It also calls for facilitating the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to affected areas.

Furthermore, the initiative stresses the importance of launching peace negotiations as soon as possible, emphasizing respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states, particularly Iran and the Gulf states, and affirming that dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable means of resolving disputes.

The initiative urges all parties to commit to resolving their differences peacefully and to refrain from the use of force or the threat of force during the negotiation process.

On another front, China and Pakistan emphasized the need to protect civilians and non-military targets, stressing adherence to international humanitarian law and the cessation of attacks on vital infrastructure, including energy, water, and electricity facilities, as well as peaceful nuclear facilities.

The initiative also focused on the importance of securing waterways, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global trade and energy supplies, calling for ensuring the safety of ships and their crews and restoring the smooth flow of maritime navigation as quickly as possible.

The initiative reaffirmed the primacy of the UN Charter and the necessity of strengthening multilateralism and supporting the UN’s role in reaching a comprehensive peace framework that guarantees lasting stability in the region, in accordance with the principles of international law. link