Iraq: Assurances from the Iranian side to raise the volume of imported gas

INA - BAGHDAD 

Iraqi Ministry of Electricity confirmed on Monday, the dispatch of a delegation to Tehran, which arrived two days ago, to discuss an Iraqi proposal to pay dues for the supplied gas, while revealing reassuring news from the Iranian side.

"The decision of the Cabinet to schedule debts owed to Iran was under the direct supervision of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, and he instructed to pay the dues, amounting to one billion and $692 million, which are payable," said a spokesman for the Ministry of Electricity, Ahmed Moussa, to Al-Iraqiya News TV, followed by the Iraqi News Agency (INA).

He added, "A delegation from the Ministry of Electricity began a visit to Tehran two days ago to discuss the file, starting with the issue of the commitment of the Iraqi and Iranian sides to the items of the agreement regarding the flow of gas, as well as the payment of dues,"

"The delegation suggested paying the debts by scheduling over a period of 3 years, and we believe that the problem that caused the gas decline emissions has disappeared, and the Ministry of Electricity announced its readiness to continue paying the current dues related to the operation of production stations," he stressed. 

Moussa revealed that "reassuring news has come to us from the Iranian side that it has announced its willingness to increase the volume of gas from what it is currently, especially as Iraq is on the cusp of the summer peak,"

"The sanctions imposed on the Iranian side delayed the payment of debts. The sanctions were imposed on banks, and Iraq suggested changing the method of payment from dollar to euro, with opening a credit in the Iraqi Trade Bank, then it would be supplied to Iran as wheat, barley, vaccines and humanitarian needs so as not to affect gas flows," he pointed.

Regarding Iraq's move to Qatar with the aim of supplying gas, Moussa explained, "We were late in heading towards this country. Qatar gas, with all its exports is already sold until 2030. However, they understood that there is an Iraqi need for gas in the future and this needs to establish infrastructure to deliver it to Iraq,"