Baghdad: Today’s newspapers focus on resolving the election of the President issue and emphasizing the need to restrict weapons to the state.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, newspapers published in Baghdad on January 5 highlighted efforts to resolve the presidency file, reiterating the principle of confining weapons to state control. Al-Sabah newspaper, issued by the Iraqi Media Network, reported that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) is optimistic about resolving the presidency issue within the constitutionally mandated deadline, following signals of flexibility from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) regarding nominations for the post.

The PUK indicated the possibility of submitting four to five names for selection. A senior PUK official, speaking anonymously to Al-Sabah, emphasized the importance of expediting the formation of the Kurdistan Regional Government, expressing confidence that these issues would be settled before the constitutional deadline.

KDP member Wafa Mohammed stressed the necessity of achieving consensus over the presidency within the Kurdish political framework, either through the Kurdistan Parliament or parliamentary blocs in Baghdad. He stated that the KDP is open to any consensus candidate with broad political agreement, noting that the PUK is holding a meeting to nominate its agreed candidate.

On the issue of the prime ministership, Al-Sabah quoted Ali Al-Difa’i, a member of the Supreme Islamic Council, as saying that the selection of the next prime minister depends on a consensus-based approach through dialogue among Coordination Framework partners, without pressure or haste.

Regarding weapon control, Al-Zaman newspaper reported that Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani affirmed that restricting weapons to the state is a crucial step for safeguarding Iraq and strengthening its sovereignty. He noted that disarmament of armed factions is a sovereign decision approved by the Council of Representatives. The Prime Minister announced that Iraq will soon take over Ain Al-Asad Air Base, emphasizing that confining weapons to state control is a national effort to protect Iraq.

Al-Sudani stated that the decision reflects an Iraqi vision and sovereign will, free from external interference, aligning with the call of the Supreme Religious Authority. Al-Zaman also quoted Head of the Supreme Judicial Council Faiq Zaidan, who highlighted the importance of state-building through the rule of law and unity of decision-making, emphasizing that weapons should be held only by state institutions.

On the economic front, Al-Zawraa newspaper, issued by the Iraqi Journalists Syndicate, highlighted Iraq’s gold reserves and the Central Bank’s success in adopting a diversification policy. Government financial advisor Madhhar Mohammed Saleh stated that the Central Bank of Iraq owns between 170 and 172 tons of gold, attributing the success to the rising global gold prices and diversification strategy, which compensates for potential losses in other currencies.

Saleh noted that Iraq’s foreign reserves exceed USD 100 billion, with gold accounting for nearly 20 percent of the total value, due to increased gold prices. He stressed that while gold is a slow-trading asset, it provides a solid foundation for reserves and a reliable safe haven. Saleh concluded that the diversification approach is a safe investment aimed at protecting economic stability and offsetting potential losses from currency fluctuations.