The IRGC has fired a literal shot across the KRG’s bow, but the brazen violation of Baghdad’s sovereignty may ultimately benefit Tehran’s opponents. A few minutes after the start of a leadership meeting on September 8, the headquarters of the Kurdistan Democratic Party-Iran (KDP-I) came under missile attack. The next day, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards… Keep reading →
By providing a clear and consistent roadmap for American interests in Iraq and future international support, Washington can help Baghdad steer the country in the right direction after next month’s elections. On May 12, Iraqis go to the polls to choose their next parliament, after which officials will negotiate to appoint a prime minister and… Keep reading →
If the Kurdish region is rolled back by federal forces or implodes into civil conflict, the consequences would threaten Iraq’s constitutional structure and undercut U.S. efforts to contain Iran. The ongoing crisis between Iraq’s federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government has resulted in the KRG losing much of the land, oil, and power it… Keep reading →
The Iraqi Kurds have angered their neighbors, but imminent punitive measures could quickly strengthen Iran and disrupt the campaign against the Islamic State. The September 25 statehood referendum in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq passed overwhelmingly, with 92.7 percent of voters choosing “yes.” Although the outcome does not trigger any administrative changes and is explicitly… Keep reading →
Major news out of Iraq is getting drowned out by falling oil price coverage. The Kurdish Regional Government and Iraq’s central government today reached an agreement on exporting oil and sharing revenue. The KRG will release 500,000 or 550,000 barrels of oil per day (reports conflict on this here and here) to Iraq’s State Oil… Keep reading →
Financial results from 127 global oil and natural gas companies showed increased use of debt to help fund operations – along with asset sales – in recent years amid flat oil prices. Low borrowing rates facilitated this phenomenon, though the long-term sustainability of this strategy is questionable. “Using debt to fuel growth is a typical… Keep reading →
Iraq’s Oil Ministry is taking legal action against The Republic of Turkey and state-owned pipeline operator BOTAŞ, further ratcheting up tensions between Baghdad and the Kurdish Regional Government over oil exports. The ministry filed an arbitration request with the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in Paris in response to reports that oil pumped from Iraqi… Keep reading →
Iraqis headed to the polls today to vote in national parliamentary elections that will decide who sits on the Council of Representatives for the next four-year term. The complicated process of new government formation and presidential selection will then unfold over the coming months. There is clearly much at stake domestically and regionally. The degree… Keep reading →
Washington has rightfully avoided backing a candidate in next week’s [today’s] elections, but it should still use counterterrorism assistance and other levers to push Baghdad on pluralism and KRG oil revenue sharing during the presumably lengthy transition period. On April 30, the Iraqi public will vote in national parliamentary elections, establishing the next four-year term… Keep reading →
Baghdad’s promising offer on oil exports and revenues could provide vital breathing room to build a permanent revenue-sharing law, and Washington should encourage the Iraqi Kurds to sign on. On February 16, the Iraqi central government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) will hold another round of negotiations on oil exports and revenue sharing, the… Keep reading →
