Iraq has reached an agreement with the United States that allows the export of Iraqi oil through the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway near Oman, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein stated.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Hussein said that Iraq’s losses due to the war in Iran and disruptions in oil exports have reached 60 billion dollars.
According to him, the US Department of the Treasury has officially requested the closure of border crossings with Iran, with the exception of two crossings: one in the Kurdistan region and another in the rest of Iraq. Baghdad continues its dialogue with Washington on this matter to prevent harm to its economy, due to difficulties in implementing the request and its direct impact on bilateral trade, which annually amounts to between 15 and 18 billion dollars.
Hussein also said that the visit of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zubaidi to Turkey led to an agreement on water management issues in exchange for energy flows. Turkish companies or the government will manage water projects in Iraq to combat drought, while in return, the continuous export of oil through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline is envisaged.
The quantities of oil in that pipeline have gradually increased from 20,000 to 30,000, and then to 260,000 barrels per day. Speaking about Syria, Hussein described the relations between Baghdad and Damascus as excellent and based on common interests, regardless of external influence.
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