Iraqi gas shift to Qatar, Oman amid US pressure

Shafaq News/ Iraq is looking to Qatar and Oman as potential alternatives for gas imports, following the United States' decision to end an exemption that allowed Iraq to pay for electricity from Iran since 2018.

A spokesman for the US State Department announced on Saturday that the Trump administration had canceled the sanctions waiver that had allowed Iraq to import gas from Iran, continuing its "Maximum Pressure" policy on Tehran.

Earlier, the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity revealed its plans to compensate for the loss of Iranian gas following President Trump's decision.

Iraqi Ministry of Electricity spokesman Ahmad al-Abadi told Shafaq News that the loss of Iranian gas imports would severely impact the country’s power grid, resulting in a loss of over 8,000 megawatts. However, “the government and the Ministry of Electricity have developed a comprehensive plan to ensure there is no crisis in power supply during the upcoming summer," he said.

He noted that the Ministry of Oil plans to import around 600 million cubic feet of liquefied natural gas (LNG) through floating platforms at Iraqi ports, which are expected to be operational before next summer, providing about 4,000 megawatts of electricity.

Al-Abadi also emphasized that Iraq’s agreement with Turkmenistan for gas imports as a substitute for Iranian gas remains in effect.

Regarding electricity connectivity with Gulf countries, Al-Abadi explained that the Gulf interconnection project would be completed with a capacity of 500 megawatts before June, along with plans to strengthen electricity links with Jordan and Turkiye to increase generation capacity.

Iraq heavily relies on Iranian gas to run its power plants and faces challenges in securing adequate alternatives to ensure energy supply stability, especially during peak summer periods.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and US National Security Advisor Michael Walters discussed efforts to enhance and deepen the strategic partnership between Iraq and the United States.

Walters pointed out that the end of the Iranian electricity exemption was linked to the "Maximum Pressure" policy, stressing the importance of bilateral coordination to avoid any potential negative impacts on Iraq’s stability.