Iran
Sovereign debt in default fell by 1% in 2023 – BoC study
Research finds shift in lending away from Paris Club creditors towards China
Iran says it will start trading with Russia in rials soon
Central bank claims channel could support $1.5bn transactions but expert is sceptical
Policy-making amid war in Gaza
Bank of Israel has implemented a textbook crisis response, but uncertainty remains
Iraqi central bank denies it will ban all dollar cash transactions
Official says he was misquoted as dollar shortage worsens amid US-Iraq tensions
Iraqi central bank bans use of dollar for internal transactions
Move comes as tension with US over money laundering and Iran causes growing dollar shortage
Book notes: The crisis of democratic capitalism, by Martin Wolf
A sincere attempt to explain and fix the failing of capitalism in liberal democracies
People: January to March 2023
A round-up of central bankers in the news and on the move during the past three months
Iran imposes FX controls as currency falls again
Commodities inflation bites ahead of upcoming new year
Iran and Russia to link banking systems to bypass sanctions
Move follows Iran’s signing of free trade “memorandum” with Russia-led EAEU
Iran appoints new governor amid protests and plummeting rial
Farzin becomes fourth head of central bank in less than two years
Central bank assets enjoy ‘99%’ immunity
Why central bank assets possess legal immunity – but not from sanctions
Ukraine: the challenges for central banks
Rules on the weaponisation of money would help to protect a ‘public good’ amid geopolitical splits in a testing environment for central banks, write Gavin Bingham, Paul Fisher and Andrew Large
Hackers target Iran’s central bank website amid protests
Internet blackout reported on September 21
Iran legalises crypto for imports
Trading crypto domestically still illegal, central bank tells citizens
Will the dollar remain the world’s reserve currency?
Bank of Russia sanctions are unlikely to undermine the US dollar’s central role in reserve portfolios. But a relative decline in US economic weight and technological innovation are benefiting other currencies
Iran imposes restrictions on payments
Authorities cite risk of cyber attacks, but economy has also faced capital flight
US citizen pleads guilty to selling technology to Iranian central bank
Defendant faces jail after using UAE shell companies to skirt US national security law
Outsider arts: how Russia might adapt to sanctions
The history of the USSR and actions by other sanctioned countries may give clues to Russia’s next moves
Iranian court sentences former governor to 10 years in prison
Valiollah Seif convicted of currency offences, but reportedly remains free pending appeal
Iran appoints third governor this year
Ali Salehabadi joins central bank three months after predecessor took office
Book notes: The pay off, by Gottfried Leibbrandt and Natasha de Terán
A timely introduction to and accessible survey of payment system developments