🛢️ Proposed in 2023: Turkmenistan → Iran → Iraq gas flow.
🚫 Deal risked breaching U.S. sanctions on Tehran, so Washington withheld consent.
📊 Iraq aimed to import 5.025 bcm of gas per year.
🇮🇷 Iran wouldn’t get money, only up to 23% of gas for its own needs.
🕵️ Baghdad even offered a third-party monitor to ensure compliance with U.S. rules.
🔥 Collapse worsens Iraq’s electricity crisis amid rising demand.
🛢️ Plan was to import 20M cubic meters/day to ease reliance on Iran.
🇺🇸 Washington warned Iraqi banks of possible penalties if deal went ahead.
🔥 Collapse worsens Iraq’s electricity shortages, especially during summer heatwaves.
💸 Baghdad now exploring costly LNG imports and domestic production boosts as alternatives.
💸 Illegal streaming costs Iraq’s digital media market up to $1B annually.
📍 Campaign follows the Iraq Without Piracy Summit (Feb, Baghdad).
📄 beIN filed a formal complaint (March) warning of lost jobs, investment & tax revenue.
📝 LaLiga’s president: piracy damages Iraq’s global image & delays WTO integration.
🎥 MPA: 185.6B visits to piracy sites worldwide in 2023.
⚽ Premier League also filed a complaint in May over licensing violations.
🇹🇷 Inter Medya: piracy contradicts Islamic justice & ownership principles.
🚫 Named platforms: CEE, Cinemana, Shabakaty, Show365, MyTV+, Ubox, Vodu, Weaana TV, etc.
🌐 ISPs allegedly enabling piracy: Earthlink, Newrouz Telecom/Fastlink.
⚖️ Organisations demand: shutdowns, ISP blocks, stronger laws, awareness campaigns.
🤝 Coalition “Iraq Without Piracy” includes: Al Jazeera, BeIN/TOD, LaLiga, MBC/Shahid, StarzPlay, Supercell, others.
⚠️ Warning: inaction could bring sanctions like Iraq’s banking sector faced.
🌍 Stopping piracy is key for Iraq’s WTO application (TRIPS compliance required).
🇬🇧🇪🇸 UK & Spain urged Iraqi authorities to protect copyright holders.
📈 Goal: align Iraq’s banking system with international standards.
👨💼 PM Sudani confirmed a special committee for banking reforms.
💰 Part of the plan: removing 3 zeros from the dinar to simplify transactions.
🤔 Question: why align with international standards while still at a program rate?
🔑 Currency alignment with global standards usually signals big reforms ahead.
📢 Analyst Frank26 notes Iraq is making more progress than is publicly revealed.
The Central Bank of Iraq has reported a decrease in the total currency issued, contributing to lower inflation rates and supporting price stability. In the second quarter of 2025, the total currency issued amounted to 98.4 trillion dinars, reflecting a 3.8% decrease compared to the same period in 2024.
The Iraqi dinar has appreciated against the US dollar in recent months. This improvement is attributed to a significant drop in demand for foreign currency, leading to a stronger dinar in parallel markets. Financial advisor Mudhhir Muhammad Salih noted that this trend reflects the government's efforts to stabilize the currency. The exchange rate has improved by an average of 15% in recent weeks compared to the official rate.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has welcomed Iraq as a new country of operation ✅.
👩💼 Catarina Bjorlin Hansen has been appointed as the first Head of Iraq, leading investments and operations and reporting to Gretchen Biery.
📊 The decision follows the 2023 EBRD Annual Meeting in Samarkand, where the Bank approved amendments to expand work in sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq.
💬 Hansen expressed honor in her role, highlighting goals of economic diversification, green growth 🌱, and inclusive development 🤝.
📈 EBRD supports private-sector development in 42 economies, investing over €215 billion since 1991, with 79% directed to the private sector.
