Iraq distances crude exports from US sanctions on smuggling

Shafaq News – Baghdad

US sanctions on oil smuggling networks do not affect Iraqi crude exports, Iraq’s State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) Director-General Ali Nizar al-Shatari confirmed on Sunday.

Al-Shatari told Shafaq News that the sanctions target individuals who own private companies and tankers, stressing that they are unrelated to SOMO’s work, adding that the company remains committed to all regulations and decisions to safeguard Iraq’s resources.

The US Treasury Department has recently imposed new sanctions on Iraqi-Kittitian businessman Waleed al-Samarrai and his shipping network for smuggling Iranian oil disguised as Iraqi crude. The move follows earlier measures against a similar scheme run by Iraqi businessman Salim Ahmed Said.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted the networks generated hundreds of millions of dollars annually for Tehran, framing the sanctions as part of Washington’s broader effort to curb Iran’s influence in Iraq, disrupt its “shadow fleet,” and cut revenue streams used to support attacks against the United States and its allies.