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US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz (right) and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani (left). Graphic: Rudaw
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - US National Security Advisor Michael Waltz told Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani in a phone call on Sunday that Washington’s decision to rescind a key waiver allowing Iraq to purchase electricity from Iran is part of President Donald Trump’s maximum pressure campaign, according to Sudani’s office.
Iraq is heavily reliant on Iranian gas imports to support its electricity production. Previous waivers from Washington have allowed Baghdad to bypass American sanctions on Tehran as a short-term stopgap until it is able to wean itself off of Iran for its energy needs. The US on Sunday rescinded the waiver.
Waltz told Sudani in the phone call that “the decision to end the waiver for Iranian-supplied electricity aligns with the Maximum Pressure Policy, emphasizing the need for bilateral coordination to mitigate any potential impact on Iraq’s stability,” read a statement from Sudani’s office.
The American official also reaffirmed Washington’s “commitment to supporting Iraq’s energy independence and expressed readiness to cooperate in accelerating progress toward this goal.”
In a meeting he held with representatives from Iraq’s oil and electricity ministries, Sudani urged “following up on the implementation of oil sector projects and reviewing the plan in place to secure electricity for next summer,” read a separate statement from the premier’s office.
A US State Department spokesperson told Rudaw on Sunday that Washington is hoping that the Iraqi government will start benefiting from the natural gas capabilities of the Kurdistan Region after the waiver. The move would reduce its dependence on Iranian gas.
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