Iraq to pay Iranian gas dues within two days
A power plant in Iraq. Photo: AFP
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity announced on Tuesday that the payment of the Iranian gas dues for 2020 will take place within two days, according to a statement by the Spokesman of the Ministry of Electricity, Ahmed Musa, cited by the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
“We announce today that the dues for 2020 will be paid within two days in accordance with the approved contexts to prevent a decrease in the quantities of gas flowing to Iraq,” the Spokesman of the Ministry of Electricity said.
Musa indicated that the gas dues crisis has exacerbated through previous governments, but the current government is taking responsibility to solve it.
Musa also explained that the current government works on solving problems and sought to find solutions by borrowing to pay Tehran’s dues.
Musa, on behalf of the Ministry of Electricity, expressed gratitude for the efforts and supervision of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi to solve this issue. He also indicated the role played by the Iraqi Parliament to make the plans of the Ministry of Electricity successful.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Electricity mentioned that Iran reduced five million cubic meters of the gas it exports, resulting in reduction of hours of electric power supply in Iraq.
Although Iran demanded the Iraqi government to fulfil its financial obligations, but Iraq could not approve the 2022 budget as the political parties are not yet able to reach an agreement to form a government and elect a president.
Iraq has not yet paid 2020 arrears because of the complicated mechanism the Iraqi authorities are forced to follow to benefit from an exemption from the US sanctions imposed on Iran.