British Minister says Iraq must be self-sufficient, end economic reliance on Iran

Iraq must move away from its economic reliance on Tehran and become more self-sufficient energy-wise, a British official argued on Sunday.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Iraq must move away from its economic reliance on Tehran and become more self-sufficient energy-wise, a British official argued on Sunday.

British Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, Alistair Burt, recently visited Iraq and met with senior Iraqi and Kurdish leaders in Baghdad and the autonomous Kurdistan Region.

His visit comes as the US has ramped up its efforts to counter Iranian influence in the region, namely Iraq and Syria, through renewed sanctions imposed on Nov. 5, which targeted the country’s finance and energy sectors.

Since the reimposition of sanctions on Tehran, the US has put pressure on Iraq to stop importing Iranian gas.

“To expect Iran to have no influence in Iraq is fanciful,” Burt told Reuters on Sunday.

“What is important is that Iraq finds the opportunity to follow its own future in terms of foreign relations and that its economy is strong, and isn’t reliant on Iran.”

The minister asserted Iraq must convert oil resources to become more self-sufficient. “The sooner all its oil wealth can come on stream and can capture all the energy that is sometimes not used as effectively as possible ... the better.”

Iraq can produce almost five million barrels per day (bpd), but currently, its output is below the rate in line with an OPEC agreement to stabilize oil prices.

Although Iraq declared victory against the Islamic State in Dec. 2017, the jihadist group continues to carry out insurgency attacks, ambushes, and kidnapping in different provinces across the country, contributing to Iraq’s enduring instability.

Burt noted that his country was “concerned” with the Islamic State’s threat to the region, notably since the recent decision by the current administration in Washington to withdraw troops from Syria. He mentioned that the UK would continue to support Iraq in its fight to eliminate remaining jihadists and sleeper cells who remain active in the country.

Editing by Nadia Riva