PM Barzani, Iraqi Premier Discuss Oil Exports and Budget Issues in Phone Call
Talks cover Kurdistan Region salaries, federal budget share, and Iraq’s Development Road project.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani said on Saturday that he had received a phone call from Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, during which both leaders emphasized the importance of resuming oil exports from the Kurdistan Region as a major achievement in the interest of all Iraqis.
According to Barzani’s statement published on his official Facebook account, the Iraqi premier thanked him for his role in facilitating the recent agreement that paved the way for the resumption of exports, while Barzani praised Sudani’s efforts in overcoming obstacles that had delayed the process.
The Kurdish premier expressed hope that the deal would create momentum toward the long-awaited passage of a federal oil and gas law. He also underscored the urgent need to resolve the issue of public sector salaries in the Kurdistan Region, stressing that securing regular salary disbursement for 2025 and beyond is crucial to alleviating public concerns.
Both sides also agreed on the importance of ensuring the Region’s share in Iraq’s federal budget for 2026.
The two leaders further discussed the federal government’s “Development Road” project, which aims to connect Iraq with regional and international markets through a strategic trade corridor.
Barzani revealed that a specialized delegation from Baghdad will soon visit Erbil to address outstanding issues and ensure the project’s successful implementation.
Sudani, for his part, highlighted promising economic opportunities across Iraq, from Basra to the Kurdistan Region, that could drive nationwide growth.
Oil exports from the Kurdistan Region have been suspended since March 2023 following a legal dispute between Baghdad, Erbil, and Turkey over export authority and pipeline use. The suspension has severely impacted the Kurdistan Region’s revenues and delayed salary payments for public servants.
Recent talks between Erbil and Baghdad, facilitated by international stakeholders, have sought to reach a compromise on export resumption under the federal government’s supervision.
The passage of a national oil and gas law, pending since 2005, is widely seen as a potential long-term solution to recurring disputes between Baghdad and Erbil over resource management and revenue-sharing.
Iraqi Federal Oil Minister Hayan Abdul-Ghani announced on Saturday that the tripartite agreement to restart oil exports from the Kurdistan Region is legally binding on all participating foreign oil companies.
His statement coincided with the historic resumption of crude flows through the Iraq–Türkiye pipeline to the port of Ceyhan, marking the end of a debilitating suspension that lasted over two and a half years.
Crude oil exports from the Kurdistan Region officially resumed at 6:50 a.m. on Saturday, with flows from the Peshkabour station once again reaching Türkiye’s Ceyhan port. Under the new arrangement, 190,000 barrels per day will be exported, while an additional 50,000 barrels will be allocated for domestic consumption within the Kurdistan Region.
The breakthrough came after extensive negotiations involving the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Ministry of Natural Resources, the Iraqi Federal Ministry of Oil, and international oil companies operating in the Kurdistan Region.
The three sides agreed on a framework placing all Kurdish crude under the authority of Iraq’s state oil marketing company, SOMO, which will now manage sales on international markets.
