US decision to revoke Iraq waiver ‘extremely deplorable’

TABNAK Mar. 11 - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has slammed the new US administration’s decision to revoke Iraq’s sanctions waiver for importing electricity from Iran.

News ID: 6116

Date: 11 March 2025 - 09:23

On Monday, Araghchi described the Trump administration’s decision as “extremely deplorable.”

He noted that the US administration has decided to target the innocent people of Iraq “by attempting to deprive them of access to basic services such as electricity, especially ahead of the coming hot months of the year.”

Iran's top diplomat reaffirmed the Islamic Republic’s continued support for the Iraqi people.

He added that Iran remains firm on its commitment to the Iraqi government to repel unlawful US actions.
Araghchi’s remarks came after the US announced it has revoked a waiver from Iran sanctions that allowed Iraq to import electricity from its eastern neighbor.

In reaction, the chairman of the Iraqi parliament’s finance committee warned that any move by Washington to restrict power imports from Iran would cause Iraq’s electrical grid to collapse.

US National Security Council Spokesman James Hewitt said on Sunday that the decision to let Iraq’s waiver lapse upon its expiration is in line with the so-called National Security Presidential Memorandum 2, which seeks to drive Iran’s crude oil exports down to zero.

The spokesperson asserted that Washington will not allow Tehran any degree of economic or financial relief.

He claimed the US president’s maximum pressure campaign is designed to end Iran’s nuclear activities, curtail its ballistic missile program, and stop it from supporting anti-Israel resistance groups.
Hewitt went on to urge the Iraqi government to eliminate its dependence on Iranian sources of energy as soon as possible.

Currently, approximately 80 percent of Iraq’s electricity generation depends on natural gas, making the country heavily dependent on Iranian imports to sustain its power grid.

In July 2022, Iraq signed a five-year contract with Iran to import 400 megawatts of electricity.

In March 2024, another agreement was reached to increase Iranian gas imports to 50 million cubic meters per day, valued at around $6 billion annually.