Al-Zaidi Links the Banking Sector to American Politics

Ali Al-Zaidi announced his welcome of the understandings with the US Department of the Treasury, describing the qualification of seven Iraqi banks to transact in US dollars as a "significant step" in the path of banking sector reform. Al-Zaidi emphasized that his government will continue to support these reforms to establish the principles of transparency and governance in a way that serves Iraq's economic standing.

This step comes at a time when observers view it as a "bill" paid by Al-Zaidi during his recent visit to Washington; these banking facilities were preceded by Iraqi authorities placing Lebanese Hezbollah on the banking sanctions list, based on the US Executive Order 13224.

This synchronization raises sharp, critical questions regarding the "price" of financial stability, as the government appears to trade its sovereign decision-making for full compliance with the American agenda. This transforms the banking sector from a tool of national development into a means for executing Western sanctions, leaving the Iraqi economy in a state of permanent dependency on the political mood in Washington.