The United States has allowed Iraq to import Iranian gas for its power grid for another three months by extending a waiver to sanctions – but insists that Baghdad seek alternative sources.
Iraq has had several extensions to the waiver first granted last year after Washington reimposed sanctions on Tehran’s oil sector forbidding countries from purchasing Iranian energy.
“An additional 120-day waiver was granted to allow Iraq to continue to pay for electricity imports from Iran,” the U.S. State Department said in an emailed statement.
An Iraqi government source said the extension was given during a phone call between Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
The State Department said the United States continued to insist on “diversifying energy imports away from Iran,” however.