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Politics

Analysis: Iraq’s 2025 election results

Preliminary results paint a picture of the balance of power in the next Parliament and the dynamics likely to shape government formation and the energy sector.
Security guards stand at the entrance to a polling station in Basra on Nov. 11, 2025. (ALI AL-AQILY/Iraq Oil Report)
Dec 10, 2007

Barzani heads to Baghdad … Attacks on Iraq’s oil sector continue over weekend, Monday …

The prime minister of Iraqi Kurdistan, Nechirvan Barzani, will be in Baghdad this week to discuss a range of oil-related issues, Reuters reports. It’s bound to be a not-too-pleasant discussion as Baghdad leadership is in its most aligned state ever against the Kurdistan Regional Government’s unilateral moves in the oil sector. (Of course, Iraq Oil […]

Dec 4, 2007

Iraqi Kurd oil minister and U.S. energy secretary met in Washington

The U.S. energy secretary "encouraged" the visiting Iraqi Kurdish region's oil minister to work with Shiite and Sunni Iraqis on a national oil law. The Kurdistan Regional Government's oil minister and the deputy prime minister also met with U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney and other political and business officials during their two-week visit to Washington. […]

Dec 3, 2007

Back to Baghdad: KRG to answer oil deal questions in front of Parliament

This week appears to be a buzz in Baghdad with KRG passing up meetings with oil officials in Texas to be there. The oil minister of Iraq's Kurdistan Regional Government cut short his U.S. visit to head to Baghdad, where Parliament this week is to question him on the 20 oil deals the KRG has […]

Nov 30, 2007

Leader of Iraq oil workers says Iraqis can increase production, with limited help from outsider if need be, but Baghdad refuses to spend the capital …

The leader of Iraq's oil workers, attending an anti-war conference here, says Iraq could be producing more oil by investing its own money, without an oil law or large scale foreign oil company involvement. "National expertise and resources are capable of enhancing production in the oil industry," Hassan Jumaa Awad, president of the umbrella Iraqi […]

Nov 27, 2007

Showdown: Baghdad vs. Irbil … Iraqi Kurds’ Oil Prerogatives … and more ….

*The Kurdish oil minister speaks his mind. *Shahristani: Kurds used military to prevent oil development by Baghdad *Kurds self sufficient and producing 1 million barrels in five years Iraqi Kurdistan's oil minister, Ashti Hawrami, begins his U.S. tour of political and business leaders from Washington to Texas a hot item with international oil companies, but […]

Nov 26, 2007

Oil makes the politics go round … Iraq’s political situation further fracturing … Bush and Maliki, best friends forever …

Iraq Oil Minister Hussain al-Shahristani has gone beyond simply calling the Kurdistan Regional Government’s oil deals "illegal." He has now reportedly "nullified" the dozens of contracts with international oil companies, AFP reports. Of course, political logistics are another matter. There’s only so much the Kurds need to take, considering without them the coalition government Shahristani […]