Q&A: Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Hussain al-Shahristani

BAGHDAD - As Iraq's political and security crises escalate ahead of national elections, Hussain al-Shahristani has played a central role in shaping the government's strategy.

As the Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs, he is leading negotiations with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) over oil policy. And over the past year, as conflicts in Iraq's Sunni-majority provinces have intensified, Shahristani has made attempts to address grievances and convince the country's largest minority population that the Shia-led government is not out to get them.