The Dollar's Rise Worries Iraqis' Pockets: $100 for 154,000 Dinars in the Markets

A state of anxiety and anticipation has returned to grip the Iraqi street as the dollar continues its upward crawl in local exchange shops, touching the threshold of 154,000 dinars. This number is not just an index on the stock exchange; it is an additional tax deducted daily from the pocket of the simple citizen and the low-income employee.

As soon as the dollar rises, prices of goods in grocery stores, pharmacies, and wholesale shops rush to increase under the pretext of "exchange rate changes," while salaries remain fixed and barely cover basic needs. Citizens complain about the inability of government measures to rein in the parallel market and protect the Iraqi dinar from speculations manipulated by big players.

The Iraqi street demands a serious and strict stand against exchange rate manipulators, because the continuation of this situation means more poverty and the erosion of what remains of the purchasing power of destitute families.