Sanctions rumours quashed: Iraq-US talks "Threat-Free"

Shafaq News/ On Saturday, Iraq dismissed reports that the United States had threatened sanctions if oil exports from the Kurdistan region were not resumed.

“There is no truth to claims that Iraq is facing US sanctions over the resumption of Kurdistan’s oil exports,” said Farhad Alaaldin, foreign affairs adviser to the Iraqi prime minister confirmed to Shafaq news, adding that recent discussions with the US administration not involve any threats or pressure on Baghdad.

On Friday, a Reuters report revealed that President Donald Trump’s administration has been urging Iraq to expedite the resumption of Kurdish oil exports through Turkiye’s Ceyhan pipeline. Washington’s push comes as part of its efforts to cut Iranian oil exports under Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran. The return of Kurdish oil to global markets would end nearly two years of halted shipments, during which more than 300,000 barrels per day were blocked from flowing through Turkiye.