At a Glance

• $500 million in cash reaches Baghdad
• Iraqi dinar remains under market pressure
• Iranian toman strengthens after US-Iran easing
• Currency outlook remains fragile

Information obtained by Channel8 indicates that a $500 million shipment of physical US dollars has arrived in Baghdad from the United States, while easing tensions between Washington and Tehran has contributed to a rally in the Iranian toman and influenced regional foreign exchange markets.

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Key Statements and Focus Area

• The $500 million shipment, part of Iraq's oil export revenues, is expected to support monetary authorities in managing foreign currency supply.
• The market exchange rate reached 152,250 IQD per $100, compared with 150,750 IQD last week.
• The Iranian currency strengthened to 15.2 million tomans per $100 in cash transactions.

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A shipment containing $500 million in physical US dollars has arrived in Baghdad from the United States.

The cash represents part of Iraq's oil export revenues and is expected to contribute to the availability of foreign currency and efforts by monetary authorities to manage exchange-rate pressures.

The development comes amid easing regional tensions and reported diplomatic understandings between Iran and the United States, developments that have also affected regional currency markets.

The Iraqi dinar continues to fluctuate in the parallel market.

The market exchange rate currently stands at 152,250 Iraqi dinars per $100, compared with 150,750 dinars per $100 last week.

The continued movement of oil exports and maritime transit remains important for Iraq's foreign-currency inflows, as crude exports remain the country's primary source of foreign exchange.

Traders in the Kurdistan Region continue to rely heavily on parallel exchange markets and informal remittance networks to finance commercial imports.

The Iranian toman has moved in the opposite direction, strengthening following renewed understandings between Washington and Tehran and a reduction in expectations of a wider regional conflict.

The currency is trading at approximately 15.2 million tomans per $100 in cash transactions, while ledger-based Hawala transfers are reported at around 18.7 million tomans per $100.

The improvement has been linked to the partial easing of US Treasury sanctions affecting Iranian institutions and reduced geopolitical tensions.

Despite the recent recovery, currency traders caution that Iran's economic outlook remains fragile.

The toman has lost approximately 140% of its value over the past two years, according to the figures provided. When President Masoud Pezeshkian took office, the currency was trading at around 7.5 million tomans per $100.

Domestic food inflation has also risen sharply, reaching around 90%, meaning a sustained recovery in the currency would likely require significant improvements in Iran's broader economic conditions.

FYI

Iraq and Iran's currencies remain highly sensitive to developments in oil revenues, foreign-currency availability, sanctions, inflation, and regional geopolitical conditions. In Iraq, oil exports remain central to dollar inflows and exchange-rate stability, while Iran's currency continues to be shaped by sanctions and expectations surrounding relations with the United States. Recent diplomatic developments have improved market sentiment, but traders continue to monitor whether the changes translate into sustained economic and currency stability.

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