US, Iraq Resume Dollar Cash Shipments After Months-Long Suspension

Baghdad and Washington have agreed to resume dollar cash shipments to Iraq after a months-long suspension. The decision was made during Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi's visit to the US, according to Iraqi government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi.

The shipments will help meet Iraq's domestic demand for foreign currency. Al-Aboudi stated that 'a new shipment will arrive in the coming days', but did not disclose the value or delivery date.

The US had suspended dollar cash shipments to Iraq in April, including a consignment estimated at around $500 million, as Washington pressed Baghdad to curb the influence of Iran-backed armed groups. The country's foreign currency reserves are held in an account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.