Shafaq News – Washington / Baghdad

On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani discussed advancing American investments and resuming oil exports through the Iraq–Turkiye pipeline.

According to a statement from the US State Department, Rubio called the pipeline’s reopening a "move that benefits Iraq, Turkiye, and American firms," urging quick progress on pending trade and energy agreements to expand cooperation.

Baghdad and Ankara have been working to reopen the Iraq–Turkiye pipeline after months of suspension due to legal and technical disputes. Last month, Iraq and the Kurdistan Region reached a “historic” agreement to restart oil exports through Turkiye’s Ceyhan port, following negotiations that also involved international stakeholders.

The deal is expected to restore a crucial export route that previously carried nearly half a million barrels of crude per day and to help stabilize Iraq’s federal budget revenue.

Read more: Pipe dream or partnership? Iraq’s oil restart tests a fragile federal compact

During the meeting, Rubio also pressed for the disarmament of Iran-backed armed groups, claiming that they “undermine Iraq’s sovereignty, threaten civilians, and drain state resources to Tehran.”

His remarks echoed earlier statements by the Iraqi government, as al-Sudani called on all armed groups to either integrate into the state’s security apparatus or shift toward political engagement.

Several leaders have resisted the government’s disarmament initiative, vowing continued “resistance” to what they describe as US interference. However, other factions have shown openness to dialogue, with sources confirming to Shafaq News that discussions are underway to formalize disarmament through a state-supervised framework.