Iraq, US Agree to Resume Dollar Shipments After April Halt

Iraq and the United States reached an understanding to resume physical dollar cash shipments. On September 26, 2026, government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi told the Iraqi News Agency "A new shipment will arrive in the coming days," without disclosing its value or delivery date. The deal followed Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi's US visit, including a meeting with President Donald Trump. Washington suspended the shipments in April, including an estimated $500 million consignment, and partially resumed them in July. Al-Aboudi said the understanding followed Iraqi steps to tighten oversight of dollar distribution, curb misuse of foreign currency and expand electronic payments. Iraq's foreign currency reserves are held in an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The dinar was trading near 157,000 per $100, recovering from near 160,000 earlier in September, against the Central Bank of Iraq's official peg of 131,000 dinars per $100. Reports earlier in September that Washington could use dollar shipments as leverage over armed groups were denied by Mazhar Mohammed Saleh, who said there were no formal threats. No dispute in the record on the announcement itself. The shipment size and exact timing remain unresolved.