PM Barzani: The Financial Entitlements of the People of Kurdistan Must Be Secured

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – On the very day that the Kurdistan Region’s economic lifeline was restored with the historic resumption of oil exports, Prime Minister Masrour Barzani issued a powerful and forward-looking statement, emphasizing that the foundation for a stable and prosperous future with Baghdad must be built upon the bedrock of the Iraqi constitution and the unwavering principle that the "financial entitlements of the people of Kurdistan must be secured."

The Prime Minister’s firm declaration, made during a meeting in Erbil, frames the landmark energy deal not merely as an economic achievement, but as a critical new mechanism to uphold the constitutional rights and ensure the financial security of the region’s citizens.

The Prime Minister's pivotal meeting on Saturday with Aras Habib Kareem, the Secretary-General of the Iraqi National Congress (INC), took place as the first barrels of crude oil in over two and a half years began their journey from the Kurdistan Region to world markets.

According to an announcement from the Media and Information Department of the Kurdistan Regional Government, the two leaders discussed the general situation in Iraq and the preparations for the upcoming Council of Representatives elections.

Critically, their discussions underscored the necessity of resolving the long-standing issues between the Kurdistan Region and the federal government "based on respecting the constitutional entity and securing the financial entitlements of the people of Kurdistan."

This assertion, coming at such a momentous time, sets a clear and determined course for the KRG, positioning the newly implemented oil agreement as the cornerstone of a more just and constitutionally sound relationship with Baghdad.

This powerful political statement was grounded in the tangible reality unfolding on the ground. As previously reported by Kurdistan24, at precisely 6:50 AM on Saturday morning, after months of painstaking negotiations, the valves at the Peshkhabour oil field were opened, and crude oil once again began to flow through the Iraq-Türkiye pipeline.

The historic resumption was confirmed from all sides. The KRG’s Ministry of Natural Resources announced that "at 7:00 AM this morning, Saturday, September 27, 2025, the export of Kurdistan Region's oil through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline successfully resumed."

In a press conference from the Zakho area, Amer Khalil, the Director General of the federally-run North Oil Company, confirmed that the process began at 6:00 AM and was proceeding seamlessly. "The export of the Region's oil began, with 190,000 barrels currently being exported, and this amount will increase in the coming weeks," Khalil stated, emphasizing the smooth cooperation between his staff, the employees of Kurdistan’s investment companies, and the Ministry of Natural Resources.

Confirmation also came swiftly from Ankara, with Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alp Arslan Bayraktar, announcing that the process had begun.

The significance of this moment cannot be overstated. It brings to a close a painful chapter that began on March 25, 2023, when a ruling by the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce arbitration court effectively halted the independent export of Kurdish oil.

The subsequent stalemate inflicted a devastating economic toll, depriving the KRG of its primary revenue source, which led to chronic difficulties in paying public sector salaries, and costing the Iraqi state as a whole billions of dollars in lost income.

The new tripartite agreement, signed on September 25, is a testament to a renewed spirit of partnership. In a definitive statement that solidified the deal's framework, Iraqi Federal Minister of Oil Hayan Abdul Ghani confirmed on Saturday that the agreement is legally "binding on all the foreign companies that signed." He detailed the core components of the deal, confirming an initial export volume of 180,000 to 190,000 barrels per day (bpd), with an additional 50,000 bpd allocated for domestic refineries. He also exp

lained the financial terms, noting that for each barrel produced, "$16 will be paid, in accordance with the first amendment to the budget law."

The economic benefits of the deal are expected to be immediate and substantial. The Eco Iraq Observatory, an economic analysis group, projected on Saturday that the resumption will provide Iraq with an additional daily revenue of more than three million dollars, which it said will be instrumental in "solving the issue of delayed salaries for salary-recipients and employees" in the Kurdistan Region.

This analysis was echoed by Dr. Govand Sherwani, an oil and gas expert, who told Kurdistan24 that the resolution of the export issue will have a profound positive effect on the local economy. "The oil industry will grow again and companies will resume work, production will continue, and hundreds of workers and engineers who were unemployed during that period can return to their jobs," he said.

Beyond the immediate financial relief, Dr. Sherwani highlighted the immense strategic importance of the deal for all of Iraq. He explained that reopening the northern export route via Ceyhan is crucial for Iraq's ability to increase its overall export capacity, especially given that the southern ports in Basra are already operating at their technical limits.

"The only way to increase oil exports from Iraq's share is the Ceyhan port," he stated, noting that the pipeline's capacity of up to one million barrels per day makes it a "strong financial support for the Iraqi economy." Furthermore, it provides Iraq with a vital alternative export route, insulating the country's revenues from potential geopolitical instability in the Gulf.

For the international and local companies operating in the Kurdistan Region, the resumption is a vital lifeline. Khazal Auzer, Director General of Contracts and Economic Affairs at the KRG's Ministry of Natural Resources, explained to Kurdistan24 the heavy impact of the long suspension.

"For nearly three years, Kurdish oil was blocked from reaching international markets, forcing local companies to sell at prices below global levels. That meant less money in their hands and weaker investment, which reduced production," she said. She expressed her hope that with exports restarted, "domestic companies will now receive their entitlements, boost production, and reinvest in their fields."

Prime Minister Barzani, in a separate address on Saturday, celebrated the agreement as a "great achievement for all the people of Iraq, especially the people of the Kurdistan Region," and took a moment to acknowledge the crucial diplomatic role played by international partners, specifically mentioning "the role of the United States of America."

As Prime Minister Barzani's meeting with the Iraqi National Congress underscored, the resumption of oil flow is not the end of the story, but the beginning. It is the new and powerful foundation upon which the KRG is determined to build a more stable future, one where the constitutional partnership with Baghdad is respected and the financial rights of the people of Kurdistan are, at long last, fully and consistently secured.