Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Erbil

The US dollar closed Saturday’s trading steady in Iraq, hovering around 153,000 dinars per 100 dollars.

According to a Shafaq News market survey, the dollar traded in Baghdad's Al-Kifah and Al-Harithiya exchanges at 152,700 dinars per 100 dollars, unchanged from the morning session.

In the Iraqi capital, exchange shops sold the dollar at 153,250 dinars and bought it at 152,250 dinars, while in Erbil, selling prices stood at 152,900 dinars and buying prices at 152,800 dinars.

The Iraq Future Foundation attributed the recent rise in the dollar exchange rate on the parallel market to increased demand from small traders importing non-food goods and services, urging authorities to enable these segments to access dollars at the official rate.

The foundation’s head, Manar al-Obaidi, said the increase was not due to a dollar shortage but to the limited access of small importers —particularly in clothing, footwear, furniture, and used cars —to official financial transfer channels, forcing them to rely on the parallel market and sustain upward pressure on the rate.

He outlined three possible paths: continued high demand pushing the parallel rate higher; the establishment of a government-backed platform to facilitate official settlements for small traders; or a greater role for shipping and customs clearance firms as full import intermediaries handling transfers on traders’ behalf.