Iraq to halt gasoline imports in 2025

Shafaq News – Baghdad

Iraq will end gasoline imports before the close of 2025, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani announced on Monday, citing expanded refining capacity and a transition toward fuel self-sufficiency.

Launching the implementation phase of the al-Diwaniyah Refinery expansion via video link, al-Sudani emphasized that Iraq now meets nearly all domestic fuel needs and is preparing to shift from importing to exporting refined petroleum products.

"The $800M project will raise Al-Diwaniyah’s refining capacity to 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) by adding 70,000 bpd in new units," the Prime Minister stated, adding that facilities will also process 180 tons per day of liquefied gas and include a gasoline improvement unit (10,000 bpd), along with naphtha hydrotreating and isomerization components.

Refinery upgrades in Maysan and Najaf are also underway, with officials projecting that completion of these projects will position Iraq to begin exporting refined fuels for the first time in decades.

Although Iraq is a leading oil producer, years of underinvestment in refining infrastructure have forced reliance on fuel imports. However, al-Sudani pledged that the current strategy aims to convert 40% of crude production into domestic downstream products, reducing dependency and increasing revenue.