PM Barzani criticizes Baghdad-BP oil deal as 'unconstitutional', calls for coordination
"We are not against development in principle, but we are against the mechanism," the premier stated, highlighting the need for a trilateral meeting to ensure proper coordination.

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani has criticized Baghdad's negotiations with British oil giant BP over a disputed territory, labeling the deal as "unconstitutional." In an interview with Reuters on Thursday, conducted on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Prime Minister Barzani emphasized that disputed territories, as defined by the Iraqi constitution, cannot be unilaterally decided by either Erbil or Baghdad.
"We are not against development in principle, but we are against the mechanism," the premier stated, highlighting the need for a trilateral meeting to ensure proper coordination. Despite his opposition, he acknowledged the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) lacks the leverage to halt the agreement.
Barzani further revealed that the Kurdistan Region has incurred financial losses exceeding $20 billion due to disputes with Baghdad, with no compensation provided by the federal government. "Iraq never compensated that lost money to Kurdistan and so far there has been no solution," he lamented.
Addressing Iraq's overproduction of oil beyond its agreed quota with the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, Barzani rejected Baghdad's accusations against the Kurdistan Region. He pointed out that Kurdistan's oil production stands at only 280,000 barrels per day (bpd), questioning why other parts of Iraq are not held accountable for exceeding production limits. "Kurdistan is only producing 280,000 bpd, so how is Kurdistan overproducing? Why is the rest of Iraq not overproducing? These are unfortunate moves by Baghdad to deceive public and international opinion," he remarked.
The Prime Minister also expressed frustration over Baghdad's continued efforts to cut the Kurdistan Region's share of oil production and the national budget. "We can no longer remain silent on how Baghdad is mistreating us and trying to cut our share," he asserted.
The remarks underscore ongoing tensions between Erbil and Baghdad over oil production rights and revenue-sharing disputes, with the KRG seeking a fair resolution to longstanding issues.