Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) — Minister of Communications Mustafa Sanad stated in a televised broadcast that the government decision to redenominate the Iraqi Dinar and delete three zeros from the national currency is officially finalized.

Sanad asserted that replacing the current banknotes will force hoarded cash back into formal banking channels while eliminating an estimated 8 trillion IQD ($6.1 billion) in unexchanged currency tied to illicit gains, corruption, and lost funds.

However, the minister’s pronouncements have triggered backlash from economic monitors over fiscal messaging and central bank authority.

Key Statements & Fiscal Arguments

Finalized Redenomination: Sanad stated the decision to remove zeros and issue a restructured currency is fully resolved.

Tackling Hoarded & Illicit Liquidity: Replacing existing currency will compel citizens to deposit hoarded cash into formal banking institutions, bringing idle liquidity back into the national economic cycle.

Projected 8T IQD Money Supply Contraction: An estimated 8 trillion IQD in physical banknotes may never be submitted for exchange due to illicit origins, criminal gains, or deceased/unclaimed holdings.

State Balance Sheet Relief: Sanad argued that unexchanged legacy banknotes will permanently exit circulation, meaning the state will not be required to issue equivalent replacement notes, reducing the overall money supply.

Sanad’s declarations prompted criticism from economic monitoring group Eco Iraq Observatory, which rebuked cabinet ministers for announcing sensitive monetary policies outside official central banking channels.

The observatory warned that broadcasting national currency reforms through ad-hoc political interviews rather than institutional communiqués undermines market confidence, fuels currency speculation, and signals fragmented inter-agency coordination. Eco Iraq formally urged the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) and the Ministry of Finance to issue an official clarification detailing the veracity, operational mechanics, and statutory timeline of any currency restructuring plan.