WASHINGTON DEMANDS THAT IRAQ DISPENSE WITH IRANIAN ENERGY “AS SOON AS POSSIBLE”,, 12 MARCH

 WASHINGTON DEMANDS THAT IRAQ DISPENSE WITH IRANIAN ENERGY “AS SOON AS POSSIBLE”

The US State Department called on Iraq to end its dependence on Iranian energy sources “as soon as possible,” hours after Washington announced its intention to tighten sanctions on Tehran.

In response to a question about the exemptions granted to Iraq, and whether they would be renewed, the Foreign Ministry indicated that it is reviewing all exemptions granted, according to Reuters.

The problem:

Iraq currently produces 27,000 megawatts of electricity through stations, most of which operate on gas, but the production capacity sometimes drops to 17,000 megawatts.

This amount, at its maximum, does not meet the country’s electricity needs, as Iraq needs to increase production to reach 40,000 megawatts in order to ensure the provision of energy around the clock.

The Solution:

To solve this crisis, Iraq resorted to importing quantities of Iranian gas, which threatened to expose it to US sanctions, before the United States granted it an exemption that is renewed periodically.

With US President Donald Trump returning to power, he pledged to pursue a policy of “maximum pressure” against Iran. As a result, the Iraqi government asked the new US administration to extend the waiver granted by the previous administration, according to previous statements by Al-Sudani in an interview with the Saudi Al-Sharq channel. Al-Sudani had touched on the issue of ending dependence on Iranian supplies during the interview, noting that the country plans to completely end gas imports by 2028, adding:

“There will be clear energy independence.”

He continued: “Ultimately, we need this exception to continue throughout this period. At the same time, we have started the process of linking energy with neighboring countries in order to cover our needs, and this is part of the concept of integration that we seek with our brothers.”

This is not the first statement of its kind, but rather comes just days after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, where they discussed Iranian influence in the region, and Rubio urged Iraq to “achieve energy independence.”

The new US statement may not mean that Washington will not renew the exemption granted to Iraq, but it indicates increased pressure on Baghdad to get rid of these supplies.

The comments come hours after US Treasury Secretary Scott Besant confirmed that the US would tighten sanctions on Iran, adding that the US would “shut down” the country’s oil sector using “pre-determined criteria and timelines.” He hinted that “making Iran bankrupt again would be the beginning of our updated sanctions policy.”

The Treasury secretary suggested that the United States could work with “regional actors” to help Iran get its oil to market. One of those countries is likely to be Russia, which earlier this week signaled its willingness to help the United States in talks with Iran over ending its nuclear program and its support for anti-American regional proxies.

“Treasury is prepared to engage in frank discussions with these countries,” Bessent said. “We will work to shut down Iran’s oil sector and drone manufacturing capabilities.”