A recent vote to remove the oil minister as the head of the Iraqi National Oil Company highlights political headwinds for Ihsan Ismaael's efforts to restructure the oil sector and maintain a foothold beyond the transition to a new government.
Iraq grapples with power shortages and Iran sanctions as summer looms
The expiration of a U.S. sanctions waiver on Iranian electricity imports is complicating Baghdad's balancing act between Tehran and Washington, while the government scrambles for power supply ahead of peak demand season.