US pressure vs. oil company hesitation: Kurdish export stalemate

Shafaq News/ Washington has been pressuring Baghdad to restart oil exports from Iraq’s Kurdistan region to curb Iranian crude exports, Oil Press reported on Friday.

Despite assurances from Baghdad that Kurdish oil exports would resume soon, foreign oil companies operating in the Region have stated they will not restart shipments immediately.

Oil exports from Kurdistan have been suspended since March 2023 due to disputes over export rights, marking nearly two years of halted shipments.

According to the report, members of the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) are prepared to resume exports as soon as formal agreements are reached ensuring payment guarantees for both past and future shipments in line with existing legal and commercial terms.

Foreign oil producers in Kurdistan insist on clear agreements and firm guarantees before restarting operations. Meanwhile, Baghdad faces mounting pressure from the US to facilitate the flow of Kurdish oil into the market, as the Trump administration seeks a significant reduction in Iranian crude exports under its "maximum pressure" campaign.