Politics

Analysis: Iraqi elections approach, with high stakes for energy sector

Political insiders weigh in on potential election outcomes and their implications for the country’s investment climate.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani (center) and Oil Minister Hayyan Abdulghani (right) attend a ceremony to mark the opening of a 50 MW power plant at the Baiji refinery on Aug. 2, 2025. (Photo credit: Oil Ministry media office)

Sep 26, 2025

Iraq preps for northern exports after clinching tripartite oil deal

Test flows are expected to begin Saturday as Baghdad, Erbil, and IOCs reach agreement on cooperative pipeline exports via Turkey.

Sep 22, 2025

Kurdistan poised to restart pipeline exports

Baghdad, Erbil, and oil companies appear to have reached a three-way agreement to resume Kurdistan's oil exports under federal authority.

Sep 11, 2025

Deadly political divisions raise risks for Kurdistan

Rivalries between political leaders in Sulaimaniya have exploded into violence and undermined relations between Iraqi Kurdistan’s two ruling parties at a key political moment.

Aug 19, 2025

Baghdad reaffirms conditions for KRG budget support

Iraq's Cabinet said Tuesday that further payments are contingent on the KRG transferring most of its oil production and non-oil revenue to Baghdad.

Jul 24, 2025

New hope for Baghdad-KRG oil and budget deal

Federal financial transfer signals political will to implement an agreement that could result in re-starting northern oil exports, though further hurdles remain.

Jul 22, 2025

Turkey signals end of Iraq-Turkey Pipeline treaty

The agreement will now expire in July 2026, raising new questions about the future of oil exports from northern Iraq and the Kurdistan region.

Jul 17, 2025

Cabinet approves revived plan for re-starting northern exports

A new deal for oil and budget cooperation between Baghdad and Erbil faces significant challenges to implementation, including crippling attacks on Kurdistan's oil sector.

Jul 16, 2025

Kurdistan oil sector under attack

Drones struck Tawke and Ain Sifni on Wednesday, marking three consecutive days of attacks on Kurdistan oil fields.

Jul 15, 2025

Drones strike Kurdistan oil fields

Attack on HKN-operated Sarsang field coincides with the company's signing of a preliminary upstream deal with the federal Oil Ministry.

Jul 14, 2025

Q&A: Ali Shaddad al-Faris, MP and spokesperson for the Parliament Oil and Gas Committee

Longtime energy MP talks about U.S. pressure on Baghdad and Erbil, the blame he places on KRG oil tactics, and the upside of the sitting oil minister entering elections.

Jul 9, 2025

Baghdad-KRG stalemate continues over oil disputes

Budget transfers to Kurdistan have been frozen since May as negotiations to restart oil exports falter.