Sadiqoon pushes inquiry into Iraq fuel shortage

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Sadiqoon* parliamentary bloc will question Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed al-Abadi over a fuel crisis that has lasted nearly a month, bloc chief Uday Awad said on Sunday, holding the minister and senior ministry officials responsible for shortages that have disrupted factories and left motorists waiting in long lines.

Speaking at a press conference, Awad noted that Sadiqoon had previously asked al-Abadi to appear before parliament but was dissatisfied with his responses, calling the shortages unacceptable in a major oil-producing country such as Iraq.

“We consider this a crime,” he stated, adding that the bloc has reservations about new fuel prices proposed by the Oil Ministry and will signal its position on the issue in the coming days.

Sadiqoon had previously submitted a request to question the oil minister and collected more than 60 signatures from lawmakers, but the proceedings were later put on hold.

Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, has faced renewed fuel shortages, with long lines forming at filling stations as motorists wait for supplies.

Protests have also taken place in several provinces. Farmers in Karbala demonstrated over higher diesel costs and supply restrictions, while farmers, factory owners and construction-equipment operators in Al-Muthanna protested fuel-price increases.

The Oil Ministry has reported that domestic diesel consumption exceeded production during the summer peak. Separately, it attributed recent gasoline shortages to delayed imports as regional tensions disrupted tanker movements.

The ministry also said that gasoline consumption averages about 33 million liters per day and can rise to around 38 million liters during periods of heightened demand.

*Sadiqoon is the political wing of Asaib Ahl al-Haq (AAH), the Iran-aligned Iraqi Shiite movement led by Qais al-Khazali

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