Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Oil Ministry on Sunday said the Kurdish Ministry of Natural Resources declined a federal request to resume crude exports through the Kurdistan Region pipeline to Turkiye’s Ceyhan port, despite mounting regional tensions and disruptions linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, the ministry noted that Baghdad had called for an immediate restart of shipments through the Kurdistan pipeline network to ease pressure from halted exports, adding that federal officials have maintained continuous contact with Kurdish authorities since the crisis began and proposed exporting up to 300,000 barrels per day through the line to Ceyhan.

The additional exports, it explained, would add to roughly 200,000 barrels per day previously shipped from fields in the Kurdistan Region before the suspension, while the pipeline’s total capacity stands at about 900,000 barrels per day. However, the ministry reported that Kurdish authorities attached several conditions to the request that Baghdad considers “unrelated” to the immediate resumption of exports, indicating those issues could be addressed separately after flows restart.

Further delays could deprive Iraq of critical revenue needed to offset losses from suspended southern exports, Baghdad warned, renewing its call for Kurdish authorities to restore shipments promptly in line with the constitution and federal budget law.

Read more: Hormuz lockdown: Iraq’s economic lifeline under threat