Oil Ministry rules out gasoline price increase plan

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq’s Oil Ministry denied on Friday that it plans to raise gasoline prices for consumers, saying current rates at filling stations would remain unchanged.

Ministry spokesperson Salim Al-Rikabi told Shafaq News that a document circulating on social media applies to government agencies and other sectors, not fuel supplied to the public.

The Oil Products Distribution Company also confirmed that subsidized fuel for consumers would remain at current rates.

According to the document, the new prices effective September 1 gasoil (diesel) at 1,000 Iraqi dinars ($0.76) per liter, regular gasoline at 750 dinars ($0.57), improved gasoline at 1,000 dinars ($0.76), premium gasoline at 1,250 dinars ($0.95), and kerosene at 1,000 dinars ($0.76).

The clarification comes amid gasoline shortages in Baghdad and several central and southern provinces that have persisted for weeks despite a temporary improvement last month.

Read more: Fuel, jobs dominate week of protests across Iraq

Earlier this month, Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Al-Abadi said authorities were working to address the shortage, with additional gasoline shipments expected to arrive in Iraq soon.