US, Iraq's Kurdish Regional Government discuss Iraq-Türkiye oil pipeline

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US and Iraq's Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) on Friday discussed the reopening of the Iraq-Türkiye Pipeline, the State Department said.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Prime Minister Masrour Barzani to highlight the "strong partnership" between the US and the KRG in expanding business opportunities, promoting regional stability, and strengthening democracy, spokesperson Tammy Bruce said in a statement.

"The Secretary and Prime Minister agreed that reopening the Iraq-Türkiye Pipeline immediately is crucial to protecting past U.S. investments and attracting future investment," Bruce added.

Oil flow from Iraq to Ceyhan Port ceased on March 25, 2023, following the arbitration ruling by the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) concerning oil exports between Türkiye and Iraq.

Additionally, the earthquakes centered in Türkiye's Kahramanmaras, on Feb. 6, 2023 further disrupted the use of the pipeline.

In April 2024, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar said that Türkiye was not at fault for the issues surrounding the Iraq-Türkiye Pipeline.

He noted that the pipeline had been ready for operation since Oct. 4, 2023, but ongoing disagreements between the northern Iraqi administration and the central government had hindered its activation.

It has been reported that the halt in oil exports from Iraq to Türkiye resulted in a loss of $23 billion for the region.