Energy News
ENERGY NEWS
US ends waiver for Iraq to buy Iranian electricity
US ends waiver for Iraq to buy Iranian electricity
By Tony Gamal-Gabriel
Washington (AFP) Mar 9, 2025

The United States has ended a sanctions waiver that allowed Iraq to buy electricity from neighboring Iran, in line with President Donald Trump's policy of exerting "maximum pressure" on Tehran.

In a statement Sunday, the State Department said the decision not to renew the waiver was made to "ensure we do not allow Iran any degree of economic or financial relief."

The move comes two days after Trump said he had written Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to press for new talks on Tehran's nuclear program.

The US president warned of possible military action if Iran did not give in -- a message that prompted Khamenei to reject "bullying" by foreign powers.

Iran supplies a third of Iraq's gas and electricity, providing Tehran with substantial income.

- 'Never take place' -

The Iranian mission to the United Nations on Sunday suggested Tehran might be willing to discuss certain issues -- but not the complete end of its nuclear program.

"If the objective of negotiations is to address concerns vis-a-vis any potential militarization of Iran's nuclear program, such discussions may be subject to consideration," said a statement from the mission.

"However, should the aim be the dismantlement of Iran's peaceful nuclear program to claim that what Obama failed to achieve has now been accomplished, such negotiations will never take place."

The waiver was introduced in 2018, when Washington reimposed sanctions on Tehran after Trump abandoned a nuclear deal with Iran negotiated under President Barack Obama.

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has reinstated his policy of exerting "maximum pressure" against Iran.

"The President's maximum pressure campaign is designed to end Iran's nuclear threat, curtail its ballistic missile program, and stop it from supporting terrorist groups," a spokesman for the US embassy in Baghdad said earlier Sunday.

The spokesman urged Baghdad "to eliminate its dependence on Iranian sources of energy as soon as possible."

The landmark 2015 deal that Obama helped negotiate between Tehran and major powers promised sanctions relief in return for Iran curbing its nuclear program.

Tehran, which denies seeking nuclear weapons, initially adhered to the nuclear deal after Trump pulled out of it, but then rolled back commitments.

US officials estimate Iran would now need mere weeks to build a nuclear bomb if it chose to.

- 'All scenarios' -

Trump pulled out of the agreement over the objections of European allies, instead imposing sweeping US sanctions on any other country buying Iran's oil. The waiver was extended to Iraq as a "key partner" of the US.

Iraq, despite having immense oil and gas reserves, remains dependent on such energy imports. But Baghdad said it had prepared "for all scenarios" regarding the waiver.

The ending of the energy waiver is expected to worsen the power shortages that affect the daily lives of 46 million Iraqis.

Gulf analyst Yesar Al-Maleki of the Middle East Economic Survey (MEES) said Iraq will now face challenges in providing electricity, especially during summer.

To alleviate the impact, Iraq has several options including increasing imports from Turkey.

Related Links

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
ENERGY NEWS
South Africa, Indonesia say US withdrawing from climate finance deal
Johannesburg (AFP) Mar 6, 2025
The United States has pulled out of a climate funding deal struck by rich nations to help their developing counterparts transition to clean energy, the programme's first beneficiary South Africa and Indonesia said Thursday. The so-called Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JETP) are ambitious financing deals between a small group of wealthy countries and emerging economies to help them ditch planet-polluting coal. Coal-rich but energy-starved South Africa was the first developing country to re ... read more

ENERGY NEWS
Eyes in the Sky: Kanyini's First Images Mark Milestone for SA Satellite

Fleet Space Expands Exploration Capabilities with Acquisition of HiSeis

China launches two new satellites

Proposed 'weather control' bans surge across US states

ENERGY NEWS
Chip based microcombs boost gps precision

Unlocking the future of satellite navigation with smart techniques

ESA advances optical technology for next-generation navigation

Galileo ground stations undergo systemwide migration

ENERGY NEWS
Burn land or plant trees? Bolivian farmers weigh their options

Nepal community fights to save sacred forests from cable cars

Colombian deforestation picks up after record low level

Trees Struggle to Adapt to Climate Change Without Human Assistance CSU Study Finds

ENERGY NEWS
Eco friendly low-cost energy storage system from pine biomass

Why Expanding the Search for Climate-Friendly Microalgae is Essential

Solar-powered reactor extracts CO2 from air to produce sustainable fuel

Zero Emissions Process for Truly Biodegradable Plastics Developed

ENERGY NEWS
Solar technology can meet UK electricity demand without reducing farmland

Enhanced Thermal Resilience for Perovskite Solar Cells

Heat cycles shape perovskite cell durability

HKUST advances nanoscale research to enhance perovskite solar cell efficiency

ENERGY NEWS
Berlin says offshore Chinese wind farm may pose security risk

Engineers' new design of offshore energy system clears key hurdle

Student refines 100-year-old math problem, expanding wind energy possibilities

Green energy projects adding to Sami people's climate woes: Amnesty

ENERGY NEWS
Indonesia industrial coal power plans undercut emissions pledge: report

China's 2024 coal projects threaten climate goals: report

China's 2024 coal projects threaten climate goals: report

Record year for coal in 2024, world's hottest year

ENERGY NEWS
China's goals for 2025: five things to know

Work, housing, marriage: issues at China's annual political meetings

What are China's annual 'Two Sessions' meetings?

Chinese treasures restored in the heart of Beijing

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.