Shafaq News / The American network ABC, citing a US official, confirmed that Israeli missiles hit a site in Iran, without giving further details.
For its part, Fares news agency confirmed an explosion shaking northwest of Isfahan near an Iranian army air base.
It added that the explosion was heard in the city of Qahjavaristan, northeast of the city of Isfahan.
The city of Ghejavaristan is located near Isfahan Airport and the 8th Shekhari Base of the Army Air Force.
It comes after the Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post reported, at dawn on Friday, of simultaneous explosions in Iran, Syria and Iraq.
For its part, the opposition newspaper Iran International reported that several explosions were heard in Isfahan in the Shaheen Shahr area near the Natanz reactor in central Iran.
Meanwhile, Syrian media said there were initial reports of explosions south of Sweida province in southern Syria following Israeli raids.
{International: Euphrates News} On May 22, 2003, former US President George W. Bush issued an executive order to protect the Development Fund for Iraq, in which it deposited the proceeds of oil sales with the aim of protecting it from any legal prosecutions.
More than two decades later, successive US administrations are still renewing this presidential executive order and other orders related to Iraq and aimed at protecting its funds.
Current US President Joe Biden signed the decree extending the state of national emergency related to the situation in Iraq for another year and stating: “There are still obstacles to the orderly reconstruction of Iraq, the restoration and maintenance of peace and security in the country, and the development of political, administrative and economic institutions in Iraq.”
These obstacles “pose an extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of Iraq and the United States of America as well,” the statement added. Therefore, (Joe Biden) has decided that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared under Executive Order 13303 regarding the stability of Iraq.”
What is Executive Order 13303?
The executive order is intended to protect the Development Fund for Iraq and some other property in which Iraq is interested.
According to the text of the executive order, then-US President George W. Bush saw that there was a threat of seizure or other judicial proceedings against the Development Fund for Iraq and Iraqi oil and oil products and the revenues that arise from them.
The executive order also said that this situation “poses an unusual threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and therefore a national state of emergency has been declared to deal with this threat.”
The order states that any reservation, judgment, decree or other judicial proceeding against the Development Fund for Iraq or Iraqi oil and petroleum products and the proceeds and obligations related to their sale or marketing shall be considered null and void.
The executive order prohibits all U.S. citizens and residents within the United States as well as any entity regulated under U.S. laws from filing lawsuits against Iraqi funds.
According to the US National Emergency Act, not renewing the executive order within 90 days from the date of the previous renewal means that it will become null and void.
Iraq Development Fund
The Development Fund for Iraq was established after 2003, and before that, the funds for Iraqi oil sales were placed in an account managed by the United Nations under what is known as the oil-for-food program.
The mid-1990s passed a UN Security Council resolution on oil for food and provided for the sale of part of Iraqi oil in exchange for the purchase of medicines and food during the era of the Saddam Hussein regime, which suffered international sanctions as a result of its invasion of Kuwait in 1990.
This situation continued until 2003, when a new Security Council resolution was repealed, provided that issues related to the invasion of Kuwait, such as compensation, prisoners and others, were resolved.
{Economic: Al-Furat News} The Governor of the Central Bank, Ali Al-Alaq, announced the formation of a committee with the Ministry of Treasury and the Federal Bank to address and correct the violations of the sanctioned banks.
Al-Alaq said in a press statement, “Washington praised Iraq’s measures in resolving 80% of the financial transfers file,” noting that “the Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve praised Iraq’s measures in the financial transfers file.”
He pointed out that “an international company has developed a road map to develop bank departments and improve their work technically.”
Al-Alaq noted that “the atmosphere of dialogues and discussions in Washington is very positive, and we have begun to enter into the details of the program plan and procedures that will be present soon through a delegation that will visit Iraq.”
Shafaq News – Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani on Thursday dismissed energy projects to be implemented in the country, while noting that his government had pursued a new thought in exploiting wealth.
This came during the prime minister’s meeting with major American companies specialized in the field of oil and gas, at a round table held by the Arab-American bilateral chamber of commerce in Houston, Texas, as part of his official visit to the United States, according to a statement to Shafaq News.
The Sudanese reviewed the government’s program and its objectives towards optimal investment for oil and gas, and its future vision, and touched on the most prominent strategic projects being implemented in Iraq, as well as investment opportunities for specific projects, and the promotion of the fifth supplementary and sixth round, which includes 30 oil and gas fields and a gas exploration pater in Anbar, Nineveh, Diwaniya, Najaf and Muthanna.
The Iraqi Prime Minister announced the extension of the application for the annex to the fifth round and the sixth round for two weeks; to give the opportunity to companies wishing to apply, stressing that “Iraq is witnessing a stable security situation throughout it.”
Al-Sudani called on American companies to engage in partnerships with the Iraqi private sector, which receives the attention and support of the government, pointing to the comprehensive development that Iraq is witnessing in all sectors.
He continued: “We came up with a vision of the form of the relationship with the United States, after the understandings and the meeting of President Biden, to be based on partnership and openness in all fields. Our vision is based on mutual interests, and you will be strongly present through joint work, especially the presence of companies and investment in opportunities in Iraq.”
He pointed out that “Iraq is of great importance in the energy market in terms of production and reserves, and the difficult conditions and previous challenges prevented it from reaching the optimal investment stage of wealth.”
“We have recently approached self-sufficiency in the oil derivatives we have been importing during previous years,” he added, adding: “Our government began with a new thinking about exploiting wealth, by increasing productive capacity and investing associated gas, and going to the manufacturing industries in petrochemicals and fertilizers.”
Al-Sudani stressed that he developed a plan to convert 40% of Iraq’s exports into oil derivatives,” pointing out that “importing gas costs the government $4 billion annually, while the burning is equivalent to 1300 million standard cubic feet, with the negative effects it leaves on the environment.”
He pointed out that his government is working on “implementing a solar power plant with an amount of 1000 MW, in addition to the project of injecting wells with water,” noting that “the fifth round has projects implemented by the Emirati (Al Hilal) and a Chinese company, in addition to the national effort, and it is planned to reach 2400 million standard cubic feet during this specified period.
Al-Sudani added: “We are presenting specific projects, including the annex projects of the fifth and sixth rounds, and we will extend the period to 15 days to provide the opportunity to apply for the tours,” noting that “the sixth round includes patches and fields rich in free natural gas.”
The Iraqi Prime Minister said that his government is introducing (integrated projects), including oil extraction, the investment of associated gas, and the establishment of a power plant, a refinery and petrochemical industries, explaining that “the opportunities for integrated projects are offered in the fields; Dima in Maysan, Ibn Omar in Basra, the fields of Architecture and the Kamit in Maysan, and an exploratory daqqa in Dhi Qar.”
“There are opportunities to establish petrochemical and fertilizer complexes in Karbala, the FAO Petrochemical Complex, and the Nebras project, after Shell apologized for a new direction by the company in focusing on gas projects,” he noted.
Al-Sudani concluded, “We developed the idea of establishing a petrochemical and refinery complex in Ain Sokhna in Egypt, according to understandings, and now we have started implementing the first phase (Basra – Modern), which will use with the flexibility of transporting exports, and can be an economic model that brings together 3 countries, for this important and vital project.”
{Political: Al-Furat News} Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani stressed that his current visit to the United States comes to establish the paths of bilateral relations between Iraq and the United States, in a sensitive and delicate situation, in addition to the dangerous escalation in the region that portends the widenning of the circle of conflict and war.
A statement from his office that received a copy of it by {Euphrat News} said that the Sudanese “was held in the US D.C., Washington, with a number of representatives and correspondents of American and Western media and news networks.”
The Sudanese indicated that the stage is witnessing an important turn in Iraq’s relationship with the United States, which for years has focused on security and military cooperation, stressing that this visit witnessed the laying of the right foundations for the transition to comprehensive relations in all sectors and economic, political and cultural aspects, as well as security aspects within the framework of bilateral cooperation.
He pointed out that Iraq confirmed its commitment to the outputs of the Supreme Military Committee concerned with ending the mission of the international coalition in Iraq after 10 years, Iraq is different today from what it was in 2014, and that ISIS gangs no longer represent a threat to Iraq and it is natural to work to reconsider the alliance and its continuation.
The Prime Minister explained that the second track in joint work with the United States was represented by the first meeting of the Supreme Coordinating Committee of the Strategic Framework Agreement, which dealt with the files of energy, investment, transport, education and the challenges of climate change, indicating that the government raised the slogan of Iraq first, and that the sustainable interest requires building solid partnerships whose existence is not limited to governments or administrations, but extends to the mutual interests of the two friendly peoples.
Al-Sudani answered the questions posed by representatives of the American and Western media in the meeting, which concern a number of files, foremost of which are the files of the relationship with the United States, the prospects for cooperation with it, the government’s vision for the future of this relationship and its nature, and Iraq’s relations with its neighbors, in addition to files on developments in the events in the region.
Mawazine News – Baghdad The leader of the Taqaddam Party, Ammar Al-Jumaili, on Thursday described the withdrawal of the party’s candidate, Shaalan Al-Karim, from competing for the presidency of Parliament as conclusive evidence of Muhammad Al-Halbousi’s innocence of the charges against him. Al-Jumaili said in a televised interview followed by Mawazine News, “Shaalan Al-Karim became a stumbling block to political understandings after the strong objection to him assuming the presidency of Parliament, so he withdrew.” He added, “Al-Karim was subjected to great pressure during the past days, which prompted him to resign from the Taqadum Party and continue as an independent representative until the next parliamentary elections are held.” He explained, “The Taqaddum Party has a constitutional entitlement as the Sunni party that won the elections, so one of the candidates will be renamed.” Al-Jumaili pointed out that “Al-Karim’s resignation from the nomination and the party took place without any pressure, and it is conclusive evidence that Al-Halbousi did not threaten any leader or politician in his party, which brings Al-Halbousi back to Parliament and then to the presidency of Parliament.”
{Economic: Al-Furat News} Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning, Mohamed Ali Tamim, met at his residence in Washington, D.C., yesterday evening, Wednesday, with a delegation from the World Bank.
A ministry statement that received a copy of it was {Euphrat News} said that “during the meeting, which was attended by Kazem Al-Hassani, an advisor to the Prime Minister, and a number of those concerned, the mechanisms of scheduling Iraq’s foreign loans were discussed, in cooperation with the World Bank.”
Minister Tamim stressed that “the directions of the Iraqi government are to reduce external borrowing, and have urgent necessities, provided that those loans are directed to development aspects and finance important strategic projects.”
For its part, the World Bank delegation expressed its readiness to provide possible support for the efforts of the Iraqi government in the field of loan scheduling, and joint work to enhance the development areas of loans.
The adviser to the Association of Iraqi Private Banks, Samir Al-Nusairi, stressed on Wednesday the importance of the visit currently being conducted by Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa Al-Sudani to Washington regarding financial and banking talks.
Al-Nusairi said in a televised interview followed by “Economy News” that “Sudan Prime Minister Mohammed Shia and his accompanying delegation held an important meeting in Washington with the US Undersecretary of the US Treasury to discuss areas of cooperation in financial and banking aspects.”
He added that “the meeting came out with an official statement that explained that there are measures that will be taken in the light of what happened in these negotiations,” noting that “there is great government interest to achieve the financial and economic reform process and there is American acclaim in this reform process.”
He revealed that “21 private Iraqi banks have opened 40 accounts in correspondent banks during the last period,” explaining that “these private banks are dealing directly with correspondent banks with regard to foreign transfers, which means that the electronic platform will be gradually canceled and left at the end of 2024, and this is what was agreed upon during the current visit of the Prime Minister to Washington and is in line with the strategy of the Central Bank of Iraq.”
Al-Nusairi pointed out that “the Iraqi banking sector hopes that this visit will achieve its objectives with regard to the rehabilitation process that the Central Bank of Iraq began since 2023 in compliance with international standards.”
He added that “next month, three Iraqi banks will be added to those that have opened an account in the United Arab Emirates, as well as those that have correspondent banks in some countries of the world and practice foreign trade financing operations in the dollar currency and other foreign currencies.”
{Local: Al-Furat News} The Prime Minister’s Office announced the memorandums of understanding signed on Wednesday evening, in Washington with American companies, in a ceremony held under the auspices of Prime Minister Mohammed Shiaa Al-Sudani.
First / Governmental memorandums of understanding:
1. Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Electricity and GE, in the field of energy sector development.
2. Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Oil and Hanwell, to partner in the development of strategic plans for oil and associated gas fields.
3. Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Oil and General Electric in the field of oil field development and associated gas.
4. Memorandum of Understanding between the Iraq Fund for Development and the American company MACK for engines and equipment, in the field of manufacturing specialized vehicles.
II / Memorandums of Understanding signed by the Iraqi private sector with American companies:
1. Memorandum of Understanding with Baxter International for cooperation in the field of dialysis supplies.
2. Memorandum of Understanding with U.S. oilfield development company KBR.
3. Memorandum of Understanding with KBR in the field of processing primary gas and converting it into liquid and associated gas.
4. Memorandum of Understanding between the Iraqi National Bank NBI and the American International Financial Development Corporation.
5. Agreement with Trans Atlantic Petroleum in the development and management of oil fields.
6. Memorandum of Understanding with the American company Hanwell in the field of developing associated gas fields and stopping their burning.
7. Memorandum of Understanding with American development, automation, and remote control services.
8. A memorandum of understanding with the American company Baker Hughes in the field of using smart solutions to stop the burning of gas and the development and maintenance of oil fields.
9. Memorandum of Understanding with Emerson on oilfield technology and automation.
10. Memorandum of Understanding with GE in the field of supporting the oil industry.
11. Memorandum of Understanding with ARC Energy in the field of associated gas manufacturing.
12. Memorandum of Understanding with Emerson in the field of energy development and equipment provision.
13. Memorandum of Understanding with GE in the field of providing equipment for the treatment of associated gas in electric power generation.
14. Agreement with Hanwell in the field of oil field development and maintenance and stop the burning of gas.
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