Tishwash: Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz are putting pressure on sugar supply chains and threatening Iraq’s exports.
Traders in global commodity markets warned on Thursday that continued disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz could put increasing pressure on raw and refined sugar supply chains, amid rising shipping and insurance costs and declining supply flexibility through vital sea lanes in the Gulf.
A report by the American company ” S&P ” stated that the region passes through about 10% of the world’s raw sugar trade and 5% of refined sugar, making it a “vital artery” for food commodity flows, at a time when refineries have begun to face operational challenges due to rising energy and transportation costs.
He noted that refineries in the Gulf, including those in Iraq, Dubai, Bahrain and Iran, play a role in redistributing white sugar to regional markets, but current pressures could lead to supply restrictions and higher production and distribution costs.
He pointed out that any disruption to the flow of the Strait of Hormuz directly impacts import costs and food supplies in Iraq, especially since the country relies on imports to cover part of the local demand for sugar and basic foodstuffs, which could raise commodity prices in the local market if tensions continue.
Traders added that higher fuel prices and shipping costs resulting from “war risks” are increasing pressure on supply chains, at a time when regional refineries are trying to pass on costs to end markets or reduce operating levels. link
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The postponed budget and blocked corridors… Iraq between internal paralysis and lost opportunities
At a sensitive regional moment, with global oil prices soaring due to shipping disruptions and threats of closure of vital waterways, Iraq should have been one of the biggest beneficiaries of this boom. However, reality reveals a harsh paradox: a country almost entirely dependent on oil is unable to capitalize on the price surge, hampered by export disruptions and internal administrative chaos.
The budget crisis in Iraq cannot be separated from the broader regional context, particularly given the threats to vital maritime routes and the resulting disruptions or restrictions on oil exports. This highlights the gravity of the situation, where two negative factors converge simultaneously: internal paralysis due to political delays and external pressure stemming from geopolitical crises.
Iraq, which is supposed to have alternative plans for exporting its oil in emergencies, finds itself today shackled as a result of the lack of strategic planning and the delay in settling political entitlements, foremost among them the selection of the presidency of the republic and the presidency of the Council of Ministers, which has directly affected the obstruction of the approval of the budget, and thus the obstruction of the ability to act quickly in the face of crises.
The result is that the state loses twice:
Once its projects and services are disrupted due to budget shortfalls, and again when it misses the opportunity to capitalize on high oil prices due to export difficulties. This dual loss reveals the fragility of the economic structure and underscores that over-reliance on oil, without logistical and strategic alternatives, poses an existential threat to the Iraqi economy.
The continuation of this situation also weakens Iraq’s position in regional competition, especially as neighboring countries move to secure alternative energy routes and strengthen their infrastructure, at a time when Iraq remains captive to internal political crises.
The current stage requires a radical shift in thinking, based on separating vital files—foremost among them the budget—from political disputes, and working to build a flexible export system that includes multiple outlets, including land routes and pipelines, to reduce dependence on threatened routes.
In conclusion, Iraq today faces not a single crisis, but a confluence of crises: delayed decision-making, geographical vulnerability, and missed opportunities. Unless this equation is addressed, the country will continue to pay the price for its strategic location instead of capitalizing on it. link
Tishwash: Trump: Talks with Iran are serious and we have 15 points for an agreement.
US President Donald Trump confirmed that the US talks with Iran were serious and took place with the participation of Wittkopf and Kushner, describing those talks as exemplary, while indicating that the United States and Iran reached common ground on most of the issues that were raised during the discussions.
Trump said the dispute would be resolved if the anticipated talks between the two sides were successful, indicating that Iran was seeking an agreement with the United States and that Washington shared this position, while also revealing plans to hold a meeting with Iranian officials in the near future.
The US president explained that the talks with Iran focus specifically on Tehran abandoning nuclear weapons and uranium enrichment operations, noting that if an agreement is reached, the United States will take the uranium from the Islamic Republic, stressing that any future agreement must prevent the possibility of new conflicts or the emergence of nuclear weapons in Tehran.
Trump claimed that the contacts between Washington and Tehran were initiated by the Iranian side, while simultaneously threatening to continue the bombing if the ongoing contacts between the two sides failed.
He added, “Any future agreement with Iran must prevent the possibility of new conflicts and the emergence of nuclear weapons, and we have 15 points for an agreement with Iran.” link
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Tishwash: Talabani: Our communication with Baghdad is ongoing, and the war has negatively impacted the economy of the region and Iraq.
The Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, Qubad Talabani, confirmed on Tuesday that communication channels with the federal government in Baghdad are continuing to address the economic and security repercussions resulting from the regional conflict.
During a press conference attended by Shafaq News Agency, Talabani expressed his condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims of the attack that targeted a Peshmerga force at dawn today in the Soran area, wishing a speedy recovery to the wounded.
Talabani said, “Any attack targeting the Kurdistan Region is condemned and rejected,” stressing that “the region declared from the beginning of the war that it would not be part of any conflict, and would not pose a threat to any neighboring country.”
He added that “the regional government reaffirms its position of not engaging in the ongoing war, and instead seeks to use its relationships to contribute to calming the situation.”
Regarding the formation of the new government in the region, Talabani explained that “the passage of a year and five months since the elections did not prevent the continuation of efforts to form the government,” noting that there is “a difference of views with the Kurdistan Democratic Party on this issue, which is normal between two different parties,” while emphasizing at the same time “the need for more consensus at this stage.”
Regarding the relationship with the federal government, the Deputy Prime Minister of the region indicated that “there are ongoing efforts to improve relations with Baghdad and communication with them is continuous,” explaining that “the tensions and war in the region have cast a negative shadow on the economy of the region and Iraq,” stressing that “the joint committees continue their meetings and dialogues to resolve the outstanding issues between the two sides.”
Last week, the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, raised several issues with the Baghdad government, including attacks on the region, oil exports, and the ASYCUDA system, calling on the federal government in Baghdad to prevent attacks and address financial and organizational disputes.
Barzani said that the region supports oil exports, explaining that what is exported from Kurdistan amounts to about 230,000 barrels per day and will not exceed half a million barrels, compared to larger quantities exported by the federal government.
He pointed out that the regional government does not oppose exports, but demands guarantees for oil production in its fields that were damaged as a result of the attacks, calling on Baghdad to stop the targeting of oil fields.
He also demanded the payment of financial dues and salaries of the region’s employees, stressing that the Kurdistan government is seeking to find a mechanism to resolve the disputes, and has submitted a proposal to hold meetings with the federal government to end the crisis. link
