Politics

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.

Workers from the Southern Projects Commission of Iraq's State Company for Oil Projects assemble a pipeline designed to carry regassified LNG imported via the Khor al-Zubair port in Basra to power stations in February 2025. (ALI AL-AQILY/Iraq Oil Report)

May 10, 2018

Q&A: Kamaran Barwari, New Generation party leader in Dohuk

One of Kurdistan's new political parties is challenging the ruling KDP in its traditional stronghold of Dohuk.

May 10, 2018

Q&A: Rafat Abdullah, PUK politburo member from Kirkuk

A leading member of the PUK in Kirkuk discusses his expectations for Kurdish electoral turnout in disputed territories and post-election dynamics in Baghdad.

May 10, 2018

Q&A: Karim al-Nouri, candidate with the Fatah list

A senior figure in the Badr Organization running on Hadi al-Amiri's Fatah list discusses his expectations for national elections.

May 9, 2018

Q&A: Zuhair Muhssein al-Araji, mayor of Mosul and parliamentary candidate

The war against IS has created immense, unmet reconstruction challenges - and reshuffled the electoral landscape in Iraq's second-largest city.

May 9, 2018

Q&A: Mohammed Rubaie, candidate on Hikma list

A member of Ammar al-Hakim's newly formed party says they are focusing on the youth vote while attempting to end the Dawa party's hold on the premiership.

May 8, 2018

Q&A: Saad Mutalabi, candidate on Nouri al-Maliki’s list

A member of the State of Law coalition says voters keen on improving the economy will help bring the former PM back to power.

May 8, 2018

Q&A: Mohammed Khurshid, head of KDP in Kirkuk

The KRG's ruling Kurdistan Democratic Party is trying to retain influence and win votes in Iraq's national elections despite losing control of key disputed territories.

May 8, 2018

Oil Ministry widens BP mandate in Kirkuk

BP's consulting deal to help maximize Kirkuk production now includes more fields, including key assets currently managed by the KRG.

May 3, 2018

Q&A: MP Ali al-Allaq, running on Haider al-Abadi’s list

A senior Dawa Party member allied with the prime minister in May 12 elections talks about party divisions and predictions for Abadi's Nasr list.

May 2, 2018

Q&A: Rebwar Karim Mahmood of the Coalition for Democracy and Justice party

The CDJ's leader in Sulaimaniya discusses his party, recently founded by former KRG PM Barham Salih, and the contours of future Kurdish political alliances.