Iraq urges Kurdistan to resume oil exports to Türkiye

Iraq’s Ministry of Oil has called on the regional government of Iraqi Kurdistan to resume oil exports via the pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, warning that continued disputes could lead to legal action, according to a ministry statement.

The appeal comes amid disruptions in oil supplies from southern producers through the Strait of Hormuz due to rising regional tensions, increasing pressure on Iraq to secure alternative export routes.

The ministry rejected the position of Kurdistan’s Ministry of Natural Resources, stated in mid-March that resuming exports was contingent on meeting several conditions, including restarting production halted by repeated attacks from armed groups on energy facilities and paying salaries to regional public-sector workers. 

Baghdad described Kurdistan’s stance as “politically motivated,” driven by party interests rather than professional or legal considerations related to the oil sector.

Iraq’s ministry said it is working to reactivate the Kirkuk–Ceyhan pipeline within a few days to allow direct exports from Kirkuk. It also proposed temporarily using the link between the Sarlawa station in Kirkuk and Fishkhabour, toward Ceyhan, to export up to 250,000 barrels per day.

“If oil from fields in Iraqi Kurdistan is added, exports could reach around 450,000 barrels per day. This output, given the current high price differential, helps mitigate the impact of the Strait of Hormuz closure,” the statement said.

Under the Iraq–Turkiye Pipeline (ITP) agreement, the ministry emphasised that the pipeline is federal property with a capacity of over one million barrels per day, operated by the federal government, which holds full rights to export oil. “Turkiye has demonstrated readiness to facilitate exports,” the ministry added. Plans for a parallel pipeline are also underway as part of the broader Basra–Haditha project.

Baghdad questioned linking oil exports to salary payments, noting that this falls under the Ministry of Finance and that legal mechanisms for salary distribution have already been proposed. Iraq also defended the ASYCUDA system as a key anti-corruption tool supporting legal trade and foreign currency inflows.

The statement accused Iraqi Kurdistan of violating the constitution, citing provisions that oil and gas fall under federal authority and are considered national assets for all Iraqis under Federal Supreme Court rulings. The Kurdish government was also accused of exploiting the regional situation for its own benefit, creating a “serious and irresponsible risk” harming the country’s economic interests and its people, with the statement calling for parliamentary intervention.

By Jeyhun Aghazada