US grants Iraq 90-day sanctions waiver to buy Iranian energy – report

The US granted Iraq a 90-day waiver exempting it from sanctions to buy energy from Iran, a State Department official said on Wednesday. The latest extension allows Baghdad to keep importing Iranian gas that is critical for Iraqi power production. “Iraq was granted a 90-day waiver to purchase energy imports from Iran,” Reuters quoted the official as saying. The last sanctions waiver for Iraq was granted by Washington on December 21. The Trump administration re-imposed sanctions on Iran’s energy exports in November, citing its nuclear program and meddling in the Middle East. However, waivers have been granted to several buyers to meet consumer energy needs. Iraq relies heavily on Iranian gas to feed its power stations, importing roughly 1.5 billion standard cubic feet per day via pipelines in the south and east.