Iraqi delegation to visit Iran to negotiate more gas imports

Iraq’s electricity ministry says the country still needs to import natural gas from Iran because its plan to locally provide fuel for its power plants has not been completed yet.

Spokesman for Iraqi Ministry of Electricity Ahmed Musa reiterated several Iraqi delegations will travel to Tehran to discuss increasing gas exports which have reportedly been cut to eight million cubic meters a day from 50 million cubic meters.

“Negotiations with the Iranian ambassador in Baghdad and the Iranian ministry of energy regarding the increase of gas imports from Iran are ongoing,” Baghdad al-Youm news agency quoted him as saying Sunday.

Despite its position as a major oil producer, Iraq relies on Iran for natural gas that generates as much as 45 percent of its 14,000 megawatts of electricity consumed daily. Iran transmits another 1,000 megawatts directly, making itself an indispensable energy source for its Arab neighbor.

Earlier this month, the United States granted Iraq a 120-day extension to a sanctions waiver allowing Baghdad to continue energy imports.