TNT – “Tidbits From TNT” Saturday 1-6-2024

CandyKisses:  Absolute parliamentary support for Sudan’s steps to end the US presence

Information / Baghdad.

The Sadiqoun parliamentary bloc announced on Saturday its full support for Prime Minister Mohamed Shia al-Sudani’s steps to end the foreign presence in the country and achieve national autonomy. 

MP Rafiq Hashem told Al-Maalouma that “the removal of foreign forces, led by the Americans, from Iraq is the best response to the US terrorist attacks against the headquarters of the Popular Mobilization.”

He added that “the US foreign presence has become a threat to the security of Iraq,” noting that “the stay of these forces for a longer period is an obstacle to national autonomy.”

He stressed that “the steps of the Prime Minister to end the foreign presence and achieve full national autonomy is a step in the right direction,” noting that “the Iraqi people do not want these forces to remain under any title.”

Most Iraqi political forces have issued their support to the prime minister on steps to remove US forces from Iraq after a series of attacks against Iraqi security forces. 

Tishwash:  Al-Sudani pledges that the Iraqi army will be at the forefront of the world’s armies

The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Prime Minister Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani, pledged on Saturday that the Iraqi army would be at the forefront of the world’s armies in terms of combat level and high readiness.

Al-Sudani said in a statement on the occasion of the 103rd anniversary of the founding of the Iraqi army, “Our Iraqi army, which with its sacrifices painted great epics, and protected the land of Iraq with the blood of its people from the evils of aggressors,” adding, “If it were not for those great sacrifices, Iraq would not have enjoyed stability, security, and peace.” .

He added, “These sacrifices always push us forward, double our adherence to our democratic system, and increase our insistence and resolve to build our free and dignified state in which all Iraqis live equally, without distinction or discrimination.”

Al-Sudani continued by saying, “Our pledge to you, our heroes in the Iraqi army, is to be supportive of you, to preserve your rights, and to be at the forefront of the armies, in terms of combat level and high readiness.”

Today, Saturday, marks the 103rd anniversary of the founding of the first regiment in the Iraqi army on January 6, 1921. It bore the name “Musa Al-Kadhim Regiment.” It was the first nucleus in the army’s long march, and was followed by two air and naval forces, increasing its strength until it became 4 divisions. The first and third divisions were in Baghdad, the second division was in Kirkuk, and the fourth division was in Diwaniyah. link

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Tishwash:  Iranian-Iraqi negotiations to solve the problem of dealing with the dollar: No crisis in the private sector

The head of the Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce, Yahya Al-Ishaq, stated today, Saturday (January 6, 2024), that the Iraqi government is trying to resolve the relationship between the dinar and the dollar with regard to Iran and other countries, while indicating the existence of negotiations between the two sides.

In an interview with the ILNA Labor Agency, the head of the Joint Iranian-Iraqi Chamber of Commerce considered these developments a temporary matter and not new for Iran. He explained: “What is happening today in trade relations between Iran and Iraq is not a new matter. About three months ago, the Iraqi government established rules for To regulate the relationship between the dinar and the dollar, according to which all importers of goods to Iraq are obligated to obtain their currency from the Central Bank of Iraq at the official rate, as this was previously done through exchange offices in the country.

He added: “Given the limitations faced by importers of goods from Iran in obtaining dollars in the official market, they buy dollars from the free market and exchange them through exchange offices, where the price difference is about 20%, and this may increase problems for Iranian merchants.”

Al-Ishaq confirmed that “the Iraqi government is trying to resolve the relationship between the dinar and the dollar with regard to Iran and other countries,” noting that “there are negotiations between the Central Bank of Iran and its Iraqi counterpart in this regard.”

He continued, “Iraq’s problems with Turkey in this regard have recently been resolved, and with regard to Iran, it is very likely that they will be resolved as well, so that the commercial flow of Iranian merchants to Iraq will not face any problem, and these solutions will help the Iraqis achieve the desired system and consolidate the commercial flow of Iranians in “Same time.” 

The head of the Joint Chamber of Commerce between Iran and Iraq denied reports about the impact of these developments on the local currency market in Iran and said: “The monetary relationship between Iran and Iraq is divided into two parts. The first includes financial exchanges for the public sector in Iran and Iraq, which includes exports of gas, electricity, and the like, and the other It is the monetary relationship between the private sector in the two countries.

He concluded by saying: “The private sector in Iran and Iraq has not faced a crisis in trade so far and has suffered few losses. Currently, the level of export flows to Iraq is almost stable, and even in the past eight months, Iran’s exports to Iraq have increased by 34% compared to In the same period last year, it reached $6 billion, and this number is expected to rise to reach $11 billion by March 20 (the beginning of the Iranian New Year     link