On Saturday, the Trump administration canceled the exemption that allowed Iraq to pay for Iranian electricity as part of its "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran, according to a U.S. State Department spokesperson.
اضافة اعلان
The spokesperson stated: "The decision to let the exemption expire ensures that Iran will not receive any economic or financial relief." He added that Trump's campaign against Iran aims to "end its nuclear threat, limit its ballistic missile program, and stop its support for terrorist groups."
Trump reinstated the "maximum pressure" policy on Iran as one of his first actions upon returning to office in January. During his first term, he withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal, an international agreement aimed at preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
The U.S. government is seeking to isolate Iran from the global economy and eliminate its oil revenue to slow down its development of nuclear weapons.
Iran denies seeking to develop nuclear weapons, asserting that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
For Iraq, ending the exemption "presents temporary operational challenges," according to Farhad Al-Alaily, foreign affairs advisor to Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani.
Al-Alaily told Reuters: "The government is actively working to find alternatives to maintain electricity supplies and mitigate any potential disruptions. Strengthening energy security remains a national priority, and efforts to boost local production, improve network efficiency, and invest in new technologies will continue."
Washington has imposed a series of sanctions on Tehran due to its nuclear program and support for militant groups, making countries that engage in trade with Iran at risk of losing access to the U.S. market.
James Hewitt, spokesperson for the U.S. National Security Council, said: "President Trump has been clear that the Iranian regime must give up its ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons or face the policy of maximum pressure."
Pressure on Baghdad
In 2018, when Trump reimposed sanctions on Iranian energy exports due to its nuclear program and interventions in the Middle East, he granted temporary exemptions to several countries, including Iraq, to continue purchasing Iranian energy.
Over the years, both the Trump and Biden administrations have continuously renewed the Iraqi exemption while pressuring Baghdad to reduce its dependence on Iranian electricity. The U.S. State Department spokesperson reiterated this position on Saturday.
The spokesperson said: "We urge the Iraqi government to eliminate its reliance on Iranian energy sources as soon as possible," adding that "Iran is an unreliable energy supplier."
The United States used the review of the exemption as leverage to pressure Baghdad to allow Kurdish oil exports via Turkey, according to sources who spoke to Reuters. The goal is to increase global market supply to maintain price stability, giving the U.S. more room to continue efforts to choke off Iranian oil exports.
Negotiations between Iraq and the semi-autonomous Kurdish region to resume oil exports still face significant hurdles.
The State Department spokesperson said: "Iraq’s energy transition provides opportunities for U.S. companies, which are global leaders in improving power plant productivity, enhancing electricity grids, and developing energy networks with reliable partners."
He also downplayed the impact of Iranian electricity imports on Iraq’s electricity grid, stating: "In 2023, imports of electricity from Iran accounted for only 4% of Iraq’s total electricity consumption."
