US extends waiver for Iraq to import energy from Iran

By Arif Yusuf and Mehmet Nuri Uçar

BAGHDAD (AA) - The US administration extended its sanction waiver for Iraq to import energy from Iran for three more months, an Iraqi official said Saturday.

The Member of Foreign Relations Committee of the Iraqi Parliament Milhan al-Mikotar told Anadolu Agency that Washington allowed Iraq to import Iranian gas to run its power plants.

Iraq imports gas from Iran to supply fuel to the power grid.

He expected the sanction on purchasing energy from Iran would be lifted permanently if an ongoing rift between Tehran and Washington is solved in the near future.

The Washington administration launched the first sanction package for Iran on 7 Aug 2018 following a unilateral withdrawal from a nuclear agreement between Iran and five powerful states.

The second sanction package was implemented against Tehran on 5 Nov 2018.

The U.S had also given someone exemption to eight countries including Turkey and Iraq on the sanctions package against Iran on oil imports for 180 days. The sanction waivers were lifted for these countries in April this year.

*Writing by Dilara Hamit from Ankara