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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s foreign minister said on Tuesday that Baghdad is seeking to resume Kurdish oil exports through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline and will “make every effort” to do so.

“When we return, we will make every effort to bring the views closer between all three parties, solve problems, and restart the exports of the Kurdistan Region’s oil,” Fuad Hussein told reporters in Washington.

Hussein said that the issue of oil exports was on the agenda during his Washington visit. “I had the opportunity to meet virtually with two companies, as well as two companies operating in the Kurdistan Region, and I heard their perspectives on the ongoing negotiations,” he added.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/30042025

One of the most striking aspects of the Kurdistan Region is how openly and brazenly officials violate the law. Footage aired by the KRG PM’s own K24 TV shows his motorcade, with multiple vehicles displaying the same license plate number.

https://x.com/KurdistanWatch/status/1916885804300763381

The Iraqi Oil Ministry states that the remaining issues regarding KRG oil exports are purely technical in nature, noting that “there are restrictions contained within the [KRG] oil contracts signed with foreign companies regarding disclosure of their terms.”

As the report below notes, this remains one of the key hurdles: the oil companies and the KRG argue that, in addition to the $16 production cost, they are entitled to a share of profits as stipulated in their agreements. However, when Baghdad requests the contracts to verify each company’s share, the companies refuse to submit them, offering only verbal descriptions. The federal government rejects this approach and insists on written documentation.

https://x.com/KurdistanWatch/status/1916774951429853375

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi government has yet to pay oil companies based in the Kurdistan Region for the over 12 million barrels of oil they have been sending for more than two years, the Region’s acting natural resources minister said on Sunday, calling on Baghdad to provide guarantees to the companies.

“According to the oil ministry’s request, since June 25, 2023, we have been delivering our oil to the oil ministry. Over 12 million barrels have been sent, and the oil ministry has not paid a single dinar or dollar to the [oil] companies,” Kamal Mohammed, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) acting natural resources minister, told reporters in Sulaimani.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/270420252

Major obstacles cleared for Kurdish oil exports, only technical issues remain: SOMO

For his part, Deputy Director of SOMO, Singary, reiterated Alaaldin’s remarks, noting that the delay in exports mainly stems from “a technical issue that requires agreement,” adding that "what remains is reaching an understanding on the issue," which relates to the third party and the nature of its duties.

Asked about the timeline for resuming Kurdish oil exports, Singary stated, "We can't say it will happen today or tomorrow, but the meetings [between relevant parties] are ongoing. There’s no major [issue] left that can be considered complex or unsolvable. It is a simple matter."

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/240420253

ERBIL — An Iraqi economist and university professor has raised alarms over what he describes as Saudi Arabia’s attempt to punish Iraq and Kazakhstan for surpassing their OPEC+ oil production quotas, a move he warns could have serious financial consequences for Iraq.

In a post on his official Facebook page, Nabil Marsoumi claimed that Saudi Arabia is planning to ramp up its oil production in June, potentially by 411,000 barrels per day, as a retaliatory measure against Iraq and Kazakhstan for not adhering to agreed production cuts.

https://www.basnews.com/en/babat/881722

BREAKING: The Kurdistan Region’s Ministry of Finance has transferred over 48 billion dinars in non-oil revenues for March to the Iraqi Finance Ministry’s bank account in Erbil, fulfilling part of the KRG’s obligations under the Baghdad-Erbil agreement - statement

https://x.com/zoomnewskrd/status/1914610685754953815

Hoshyar Zebari, a KDP leader and uncle of Masoud Barzani, admits that KRG oil is being smuggled and sold through unofficial routes, though he claims the scale and volume of the smuggling are exaggerated. He also insisted that he does not personally benefit from it, stating, “I am clean from it, thank God.”

https://x.com/KurdistanWatch/status/1914344640280429038

One of the remaining points of disagreement between the Iraqi government and the KRG regarding the resumption of KRG oil exports is which pipeline should be used: the KRG–Ceyhan pipeline or the federal Kirkuk–Ceyhan pipeline.

https://x.com/NatlContext/status/1914267723154043176

The meeting, held on April 20, focused on the necessary conditions to restart oil flows that have been suspended for over a year. While all sides presented their positions on a range of technical and legal matters, no final agreements were reached.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/836120/apikur-pushes-for-written-agreements-in-ongoing-kurdistan-region-oil-export-negotiations

Https://x.com/zoomnewskrd/status/1913939891085332828

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — A trilateral meeting was convened in Erbil on Sunday among representatives of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) to address critical issues concerning the Kurdistan Region's oil sector, with a primary focus on resuming oil exports. Omid Sabah, Chief of Staff of the KRG Council of Ministers, stated that discussions involved the operational activities of oil companies and explored mechanisms to facilitate the restart of exports. The meeting also considered the challenges and proposals presented by these companies to create a conducive environment for resuming oil exports promptly.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/836071/baghdad-may-act-unilaterally-on-oil-advisor-after-deadline-passes-lawmaker-warns

Https://channel8.com/english/36338

Https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/835836/billion-dollar-deadlock-iraq-kurdistan-seek-oil-breakthrough

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani met with Turkish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nuh Yılmaz to discuss a range of strategic issues, including the highly anticipated resumption of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region through the port of Ceyhan.

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/835764/kurdistan-region-turkey-move-toward-resuming-oil-exports-via-ceyhan

A company will be designated to assess oil production costs in the Kurdistan Region during a meeting on Saturday between Iraq’s Oil Ministry, the KRG Ministry of Natural Resources, and APIKUR, Narmin Marouf, member of the Iraqi Parliament’s Finance Committee, told Zoom News.

https://x.com/zoomnewskrd/status/1912960523420696835

Big statement.... if TRUE ???

Iraqi Oil Minister: We reassured IOCs by obtaining an official letter signed by the Minister of Finance, including a pledge to pay those companies' dues. This restored confidence and allayed fears.

https://x.com/john78846295/status/1912577784418877564

Minister Hayan Abdulghani emphasized the need to restart KRG oil exports as soon as possible to support the Iraqi budget. He also noted that agreements have already been renewed with four companies that previously purchased KRG oil, aiming to resume exports quickly.

Additionally, he mentioned that the KRG Ministry of Natural Resources is scheduled to visit Baghdad next Saturday, and they hope exports can resume shortly thereafter.

https://x.com/KurdistanWatch/status/1912582803797029306

Https://x.com/RudawEnglish/status/1912498837479891423

Iraqi PM al-Sudani says that his government has formally invited Syria's Ahmad al-Sharaa to attend the upcoming Arab Summit in Baghdad. He also noted that relations between Baghdad and Erbil have progressed to 'technical and legal discussions' for the first time.

https://x.com/KurdistanWatch/status/1912431499237871751