US claims credit for Iraq-Turkiye oil restart

Shafaq News – Washington

On Saturday, the United States said it had facilitated the reopening of the Iraq–Turkiye oil pipeline, clearing the way for Kurdish crude exports to resume after more than two years.

Exports were halted in March 2023 after an arbitration ruling ordered Ankara to pay Baghdad $1.5B, a standoff that cost Iraq an estimated $22–25B in lost revenue.

A State Department spokesperson told Shafaq News the accord, reached after weeks of talks between Baghdad, Erbil, and Ankara, and through American diplomatic efforts, would deliver “real benefits to Americans and Iraqis alike.”

Read more: Pipe dream or partnership? Iraq’s oil restart tests a fragile federal compact

Washington also reiterated support for Iraqi partners “working to build a sovereign, stable and prosperous country,” stressing ongoing engagement with Baghdad and groups aligned with US priorities.

Iraq’s Oil Ministry confirmed that pumping began early Saturday from Kurdistan’s fields through the Fishkhabour station to Turkiye’s Ceyhan port, with initial flows of about 190,000 barrels per day.

Kurdish Prime Minister Masrour Barzani hailed the restart as a “gain for all Iraqis,” crediting Washington’s role in the deal.