[size=45][size=41]Report: Iran is blackmailing Iraq by cutting gas to pay off debts and obstructing its cooperation with Saudi Arabia[/size]
14 hours ago
986
[/size]
14 hours ago
986
[/size]
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Iran attributed the reduction in the quantities of gas it exports to Iraq to “technical reasons.” However, Iraqi officials say that Iran is seeking to “blackmail” Iraq, because it is dissatisfied with the investment contracts that Iraq signed with Saudi Arabia last week, including an agreement with Aramco to produce more than On 400 million cubic feet of gas, to supply the national grid with the gas needed to generate electric power.
Observers say that Iraq, which has been subject to Iranian influence for nearly two decades, and has provided it with revenues of more than $20 billion annually, has not obtained investments from Iran to support its economy, and has remained captive to it in its needs for electricity and gas, while gas is being wasted in Iraqi oil fields.
Officials affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces say that the gas projects that Iraq is seeking to implement aim to harm Iran's interests, and that the Iraqi government has not done enough to pay off its accumulated debts to Iran.
A statement by the Iraqi Foreign Ministry stated that Minister Fuad Hussein asked his Iranian counterpart, Hussein Amir Abdullahian, about the reasons for Iran’s reduction of gas exports last week, which Hussein said “led to a decrease in electricity production and caused repercussions on daily life.” However, Abdullahian attributed the matter to the presence of “ technical problems,” and did not specify when they would be addressed. This prompted the government of Prime Minister Muhammad Shia' al-Sudani to decide to send a delegation headed by the Minister of Electricity to Iran next week to discuss the issue.
The supply cut amounted to 20 million cubic metres. Ahmed Musa, a spokesman for the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity, said that Iraq usually imports between 50 and 70 million cubic meters of gas.
Iraq imports electricity and gas from Iran equivalent to between 33 and 40 percent of its energy supplies, especially in the summer months when the temperature rises to 50 degrees Celsius, and energy consumption peaks.
Iraq pays the costs of these supplies in an account for Iran in an Iraqi bank, but the account is subject to the supervision of the US Federal Reserve Bank, which does not allow Iran to benefit from the funds except for humanitarian purposes. Iran's debt is estimated at about $11 billion. Iraqi officials say that it is the US sanctions that are obstructing the payment, and that the two countries need to find “creative ways” to settle parts of these debts.
And while Iraq spends nearly $4 billion annually on Iranian gas and energy imports, its oil fields burn huge amounts of natural gas as a by-product of the oil and gas sector.
Last April, Iraq concluded a huge $27 billion agreement with French energy giant Total Energies, which includes plans to collect and invest associated gas. However, it was Iraq's agreements with Saudi Arabia that most prompted Iranian officials and their allies in the Popular Mobilization Forces to feel anxious.
And the Saudi Minister of Investment, Engineer Khaled Al-Falih, announced last week about Saudi investments in Iraq amounting to $ 3 billion, including investments in banks such as the National Bank of Iraq, expressing the hope that “there will be Saudi banks in Iraq, and Iraqi banks and banks operating in the Kingdom, to facilitate Mutual trade, especially since there are major development initiatives.
And Saudi Arabia established the “Saudi-Iraqi Investment Company,” owned by the Saudi Investment Fund, with a capital of $3 billion. It specializes in strategic projects, reconstruction work, and financing exports and imports between the two countries.
Iraqi Oil Minister Hayan Abdul-Ghani said that it was agreed in the Saudi-Iraqi Coordination Council that Aramco should enter the development of an oil and gas field in order to produce more than 400 million cubic feet of gas to supply the national grid with the necessary gas for generating electricity. He announced that two rounds of licensing have been launched, the “fifth and sixth” rounds, and they aim to invest and develop a number of exploration fields and patches in the eastern and western regions of Iraq, especially since Iraq produces gas in quantities of up to 60 million cubic feet, which enables it to cover part of its gas needs. For Iran, however, it means that Iraq wants to pave the way so as not to remain captive in its energy needs for Iranian gas.
Miteb Al-Shathri, acting CEO of the Saudi-Iraqi Investment Company, said that the company will invest in areas including infrastructure, mining, agriculture, real estate development, and financial services.
The Saudi-Iraqi company is one of 5 new Saudi regional companies that aim to invest in Jordan, Bahrain, Sudan, Iraq and the Sultanate of Oman, after the launch of the Saudi-Egyptian investment company last August. The value of the targeted investments is $24 billion.
Observers say that it was the economic cooperation between Iraq and Saudi Arabia that prompted Tehran to establish a competing company under the name “Al-Muhandis Company” after the name of the executive vice president of the armed organization of the Iraqi Popular Mobilization, Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis, who was killed with Qassem Soleimani in early 2020, in order to work in the field of “contracting and implementing projects.” A big building”, under the leadership of the Popular Mobilization Forces to increase its economic and military influence, in an effort to replicate the experience of the Iranian “Headquarters of the Final Prophets” organization, which has become the economic arm of the Revolutionary Guards in Iran.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Today at 7:21 am by Rocky
» utube 9/16/24 MM&C Iraq Dinar Update - #xrpripple #iraqidinar - Electronic International Payments
Today at 7:20 am by Rocky
» Market monopoly is in danger... and the Parliamentary Economic Committee leads the correction battle
Today at 7:16 am by Rocky
» Document warns of environmental danger threatening southern Iraq
Today at 7:15 am by Rocky
» Central Bank Governor: We have put in place methods to secure the provision of dollars and are subje
Today at 7:13 am by Rocky
» MP hints at corruption suspicions in $22 billion railway contract
Today at 7:12 am by Rocky
» MP holds Al-Sudani responsible for withdrawing important laws from the House of Representatives
Today at 7:11 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Oil Committee accuses the region of smuggling oil
Today at 7:10 am by Rocky
» The Council of Ministers decides to amend the price of industrial oil
Today at 7:06 am by Rocky
» "Al-Eqtisad News" publishes the full decisions of the Cabinet session
Today at 7:05 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary moves to increase state financial revenues
Today at 7:04 am by Rocky
» New mechanism for collecting tax amounts electronically
Today at 7:02 am by Rocky
» Iraqi oil exports rose yesterday to 3.5 million barrels
Today at 7:01 am by Rocky
» South Gas: Integrated Gas Development Project is an Opportunity to Invest Local Hands
Today at 7:00 am by Rocky
» Artawi Project.. A new energy that ignites the Iraqi economy and extinguishes the fires of waste!
Today at 6:59 am by Rocky
» Al-Ghais: Taxes constitute the largest percentage of fuel prices in these countries
Today at 6:57 am by Rocky
» Is the decline in oil prices related to the rise in exchange rates? An "important" clarification fro
Today at 6:55 am by Rocky
» Iraq imports more than 722 million tons of gasoline in three months
Today at 6:54 am by Rocky
» Hermes: Gulf investors have become more selective after the flood of IPOs in the region
Today at 6:53 am by Rocky
» Real estate manipulators between the jaws of the "justice pincers"
Today at 6:51 am by Rocky
» New crime
Today at 6:50 am by Rocky
» Conference to support the private sector
Today at 6:49 am by Rocky
» After the {Sabah} report... a campaign to deport {illegal} workers
Today at 6:48 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: Amending the Drug Law raises the level of combating it
Today at 6:47 am by Rocky
» Numbering Nineveh buildings in preparation for the population census
Today at 6:46 am by Rocky
» Labor: Intensive campaign to deport “illegal” workers
Today at 6:44 am by Rocky
» Emaar: The residential complex for journalists will be transferred to an investor
Today at 6:43 am by Rocky
» Government organizes national conference to support private sector
Today at 6:40 am by Rocky
» Real estate inflation
Today at 6:39 am by Rocky
» {Hypermarket}.. Central markets with a new look
Today at 6:38 am by Rocky
» Iraq calls on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities and stop the massacres an
Today at 5:22 am by Rocky
» Al-Maliki's coalition explains the nature of the presence of Hamas and Houthi offices in Baghdad.. A
Today at 5:21 am by Rocky
» What are the goals of Qaani's "secret" visit to Baghdad? - Urgent
Today at 5:19 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The heaviness of the energy system problem in transmission and distribution
Today at 5:18 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary message to Al-Sudani: You have the dangerous Kar file in your hands.. Save public mone
Today at 5:16 am by Rocky
» 15% tax on social media applications in Iraq
Today at 5:15 am by Rocky
» Fears of delayed salaries.. State employees face increasing financial pressures!
Today at 5:14 am by Rocky
» General amnesty.. a step to exonerate Nour Zuhair and an opportunity for terrorists
Today at 5:13 am by Rocky
» Iraq between stalled projects and postponed promises: years of endless waiting
Today at 5:11 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: Iraq is witnessing transformations in digital reality today
Today at 5:11 am by Rocky
» Announcing the formation of a new party in Iraq
Today at 5:10 am by Rocky
» The electricity dilemma is stifling Iraqi industry and exacerbating the losses of the local economy!
Today at 5:09 am by Rocky
» Parliament asks the Ministry of Planning to estimate revenues
Today at 5:07 am by Rocky
» Iraq and Russia sign a memorandum of understanding
Today at 5:05 am by Rocky
» Trade invites Azerbaijani companies to participate in Baghdad International Fair
Today at 5:04 am by Rocky
» New mechanism for granting national card to citizens
Today at 5:03 am by Rocky
» A scandalous scandal revealed by the Ministry of Labor
Today at 5:02 am by Rocky
» The Chairman of the Accountability and Justice Commission meets the Minister of Anfal
Today at 5:00 am by Rocky
» Al-Basri: We will announce crimes related to public money soon
Today at 4:59 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The electricity projects that were opened today had been lagging behind for years
Today at 4:57 am by Rocky
» Cabinet decisions for today
Today at 4:56 am by Rocky
» Al-Khalidi talks about solving the problem of the parliament presidency
Today at 4:55 am by Rocky
» Strange statement from a former MP
Today at 4:54 am by Rocky
» Allawi: Personal status proposal will tear Iraq apart
Today at 4:53 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance: No financial distress
Today at 4:52 am by Rocky
» Central Bank of Iraq: Oil price drop has nothing to do with dollar exchange rate rise
Today at 4:51 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Oil and Gas Committee moves to host oil formations managers.. This is the reason
Today at 4:48 am by Rocky
» Al-Masari reveals to Alsumaria the reason for the delay in deciding the position of Parliament Speak
Today at 4:45 am by Rocky
» Al-Shammari: There is political collusion in the absence of a Speaker of Parliament
Today at 4:44 am by Rocky
» With documents.. Parliamentary signatures to reject the railway link with Iran
Today at 4:42 am by Rocky
» Dollar to Dinar Exchange Rates in Iraq Today
Today at 4:40 am by Rocky
» utube 9/15/24 MM&C Iraq Dinar Update - #xrpripple #iraqidinar Digital Transformation - Global Even
Yesterday at 7:01 am by Rocky
» Progress reveals new political endorsement for its candidate for parliament speaker
Yesterday at 6:57 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: Announcing the end of the international coalition mission soon, and we are committed to O
Yesterday at 6:56 am by Rocky
» Iraq and Austria sign a loan financing agreement to stimulate the agricultural sector
Yesterday at 6:54 am by Rocky
» Pending amnesty and complex negotiations: Justice and politics intertwine in the parliament hall
Yesterday at 6:51 am by Rocky
» Amnesty Law: A New Ticket for Corruptors or a Correction of What Politics Has Broken?
Yesterday at 6:50 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani turns the page on the international coalition.. 2024 is not like 2014
Yesterday at 6:49 am by Rocky
» Oil moves towards generalizing electronic payment in all governorates
Yesterday at 6:48 am by Rocky
» Economist: Decongestion projects will not succeed
Yesterday at 6:46 am by Rocky
» Abu Saeeda: The government is "afraid" of Washington's demand to withdraw its forces from Iraq
Yesterday at 6:45 am by Rocky
» What is the truth of the bargain of passing the amnesty in exchange for personal status?
Yesterday at 6:44 am by Rocky
» MP confirms boycott of parliament sessions due to general amnesty law
Yesterday at 6:43 am by Rocky
» Headed by Al-Sudani.. The Council of Ministers holds its regular session
Yesterday at 6:42 am by Rocky
» Rising housing prices.. Collecting parliamentary signatures to question the head of the Investment A
Yesterday at 6:41 am by Rocky
» Al-Fath: Equipping the Peshmerga with artillery is a first step towards the region’s military secess
Yesterday at 6:40 am by Rocky
» Violations and waste of public money.. Voices calling for the need to expose port corruption are ris
Yesterday at 6:38 am by Rocky
» Currency Auction.. The Central Bank of Iraq sells more than $ 249 million in one day
Yesterday at 6:36 am by Rocky
» Parliamentary Finance Committee discusses proposal to establish sovereign fund
Yesterday at 6:34 am by Rocky
» Karbala: Violations and delays in establishing a park worth 2.4 billion dinars revealed
Yesterday at 6:32 am by Rocky
» Iraq falls to fifth place in buying real estate in Türkiye during the month
Yesterday at 6:31 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani diagnoses the oil problem of Baghdad and Erbil.. What about the Ceyhan pipeline?
Yesterday at 5:22 am by Rocky
» 500,000 salaries registered in the “Hisabi” system in the Kurdistan Region
Yesterday at 5:21 am by Rocky
» Al-Nusairi identifies the challenges facing Iraqi private banks and opportunities for banking reform
Yesterday at 5:20 am by Rocky
» "Our Country's Dream"... Al-Sudani Sends an "Important" Message to Gulf States Regarding the Path to
Yesterday at 5:18 am by Rocky
» 110 thousand barrels is the volume of decrease in Iraqi exports since the beginning of this month
Yesterday at 5:17 am by Rocky
» Economist: Iran's exports to Iraq increased 71-fold in 20 years
Yesterday at 5:16 am by Rocky
» Pezeshkian praises the results of his visit to Iraq
Yesterday at 5:15 am by Rocky
» Al-Sudani: The government seeks to buy services from investors
Yesterday at 5:13 am by Rocky
» Real estate manipulators between the jaws of the "justice pincers"
Yesterday at 5:12 am by Rocky
» Mechanism to resolve tribal conflicts in Maysan
Yesterday at 5:11 am by Rocky
» Decline in Iraqi exports
Yesterday at 5:10 am by Rocky
» Spanish company implements Basra-Shalamcheh railway
Yesterday at 5:08 am by Rocky
» Advisor to the Prime Minister announces to {Sabah} the launch of the {Back to Education} initiative
Yesterday at 5:07 am by Rocky
» Members of the Ministry of Defense in Basra demand the implementation of the allocation of land plot
Yesterday at 5:05 am by Rocky
» The Social Protection Authority calls on its beneficiaries to expedite the issuance of the unified c
Yesterday at 5:04 am by Rocky
» Trade Bank of Iraq announces mechanism for obtaining US dollars for travel purposes abroad
Yesterday at 5:03 am by Rocky
» House of Representatives votes on agricultural land rental bill
Yesterday at 5:01 am by Rocky
» Minister of Trade arrives in Baku at the head of an investment delegation
Yesterday at 4:59 am by Rocky