Iran Press/Middle East: Joey Hood told reporters on Wednesday Baghdad can now buy energy from Iran, a report by Al-Alam news network said.
The waiver will allow Iraq to continue buying gas and electricity from Iran, Press TV reported.
A US State Department official said on Mar. 20 that the US administration has granted Iraq a new 90-day sanctions waiver to buy Iranian energy.
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US grants Iraq new 90-day waiver to buy Iranian energy
The US envoy did not explain whether he was referring to the same waiver Washington gave Baghdad in March or he was declaring the issuance of new exemptions.
In his Wednesday remarks, the US envoy also pointed to reports of Baghdad's efforts to mediate between Tehran and Washington and said he was unaware of such mediation.
“We do not know of the existence of Iraqi mediation" between the US and Iran, he said, adding that he welcomes the opportunity to consult with the Iraqi government.
“It is possible to communicate with Iran directly and the embassy’s objective is to sustain the stability of Iraq to be strong and stable and protect it from any tension in the region,” he said.
In December 2018, Donald Trump government exempted Iraq from sanctions against Iran for a period of 90 days. The first exemption period ended on March 19th.
Iraq imports much of its energy needs, including electricity and gas from Iran.
Gas imports from Iran generate as much as 45 percent of Iraq's 14,000 megawatts of electricity consumed daily. Iran transmits another 1,000 megawatts directly, making itself an indispensable energy source for its Arab neighbor.
Iraq and Iran share a 1,400-kilometer-long border. For their run-of-the-mill maintenance, Iraqis depend on Iranian companies for many things from food to machinery, electricity, natural gas, fruits, and vegetables.
The Trump administration is pressing Iraq to stop buying natural gas and electricity from Iran, but Baghdad is pushing back against the pressure, The New York Times reported in February.
Iraqi officials have repeatedly reiterated their opposition to US unilateral sanctions against Iran and stated that their country would not abide by these sanctions. 104
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