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)

Jan 26, 2012

Oil law struggles for daylight

Parliament committee could press for formal validation of existing oil deals with Baghdad and KRG, but efforts are being overshadowed by political crisis.

Jan 6, 2012

Energy sector weathers political crisis with minor delays

Amidst a political breakdown, DPM Shahristani is taking a larger role, and the fourth bidding round and the start-up of new export infrastructure have been set back.

Dec 22, 2011

Q&A: Hussain al-Shahristani

The government's top energy official discusses ExxonMobil's options, fourth bidding round contract models, and federalism.

Dec 22, 2011

Exxon deal stokes territorial disputes

ExxonMobil risks violent reprisals because its controversial deals with the Kurdistan region are inflaming Iraq's internal territorial disputes, according to Iraqi leaders.

Dec 18, 2011

Iraqi political crisis as US completes pullout

American troops are gone, and a political crisis shows Iraq's old divisions may prove stronger than its fledgling institutions.

Dec 16, 2011

Oil law deal unlikely this year

After politicians optimistically touted a new oil law negotiating framework, the two sides have yet to meet and positions remain entrenched.

Dec 3, 2011

Military ceremony marks the beginning of the unknown

U.S. troops will be gone by the end of the year, and a truly sovereign Iraq is now a country with an uncertain fate.

Nov 25, 2011

Q&A: Barham Salih

Shortly after signing watershed deals with ExxonMobil, the KRG's prime minister discusses the resource curse, the U.S. withdrawal, and the future of Kurdistan's oil sector.

Nov 18, 2011

Oil law negotiators hit reset

Casting aside the two latest conflicting oil laws, Baghdad's Luaibi and the KRG's Hawrami will negotiate based on 2007 draft legislation.

Nov 15, 2011

Q&A: Ashti Hawrami

The Minister of Natural Resources for the Kurdistan region of Iraq talks about the ExxonMobil deal, prospects for the oil law, and refining policies.