PM Masrour Barzani Calls for Swift Resumption of Kurdistan Oil Exports, Warns of Mounting Losses
“let’s be clear: no one has benefited from this. Kurdistan, Iraq, and even Turkey have all suffered economically,” PM Masrour Barzani stated.
By Ahora Qadi
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region, Masrour Barzani, called on Wednesday for urgent efforts to resolve the ongoing impasse over oil exports from the Region, stressing that the suspension has inflicted significant financial damage and serves no one’s interest.
Speaking during a panel session at the ninth Sulaymaniyah Forum 2025, PM Barzani highlighted that since a court ruling in 2023 halted Kurdistan’s independent oil exports, the Region has suffered losses exceeding $23 billion—losses that remain uncompensated.
“From the moment exports began, we faced opposition—especially from the federal government, which ultimately demanded a complete halt,” Barzani stated. “But let’s be clear: no one has benefited from this. Kurdistan, Iraq, and even Turkey have all suffered economically.”
Path to a Solution: Dialogue with Baghdad and Sumo Involvement
Barzani revealed that in recent months, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has held several high-level meetings with Iraq’s Ministry of Oil and the office of the Iraqi Prime Minister, aimed at finding a compromise.
“In accordance with a federal government proposal, we agreed to allow the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) to manage the sales process. We have reached a consensus on this point,” Barzani said.
However, he noted that progress has been stalled by pending negotiations with international oil companies operating in the Kurdistan Region. “These companies have unique contracts, different from the rest of Iraq, and they expect their agreements to be respected. Iraqi courts have twice ruled in favor of the KRG’s contractual framework, which should settle the matter.”
Guarantees and Accountability: Key Demands of the Oil Companies
The Prime minister emphasized that oil companies are demanding formal guarantees before resuming production. “There are accumulated losses from halted production that must be addressed. We must establish a viable mechanism to ensure the continuity of exports through the Region.”
He continued, “An agreement was reached with Iraq’s Ministry of Oil to form a neutral third-party team to assess actual losses and determine compensation. However, this has yet to be implemented, and companies remain cautious.”
Final Round of Talks Expected in Baghdad
Barzani concluded by affirming that further negotiations are expected soon in Baghdad. “In my last meeting with Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, we agreed that our technical teams would return to Baghdad to finalize remaining issues and pave the way for the restart of oil exports.”
