Iran Cuts Natural Gas Exports To Iraq Again As Summer Heat Approaches

On May 22 Iraq’s Electricity Ministry said it lost 3500 megawatts of electricity due to a drop in Iranian natural exports. This mostly hit Diyala province where power outages lasting up to 16 hours began as a result. This is the latest example of how Iran is an unreliable partner.

 

Tehran has consistently cut its energy exports to its neighbor. For example in November 2024 Iran said it was doing maintenance work on its natural gas network that was to last 15 days. Imports ended up being down for over a month leading to power outages of 8000 megawatts in Diyala and Baghdad. It wasn’t until January 2025 that supply began to rise again. At the same time Iran cut its electricity line to Diyala as well. Then in March 550 megawatts was cut again. This has happened over and over.

 

Iraq gets up to 40% of energy production from Iran but Baghdad has never gotten a steady supply. It is helpless in the situation because it has no real leverage and much of the ruling elite is aligned with Iran and doesn’t make any strong complaints.

 

The Trump administration is trying to wean Iraq from its dependency upon Iran but has failed so far. In March Washington ended its waiver for Iraq to buy energy from Iran. That means Baghdad is now open to sanctions.

 

That has not stopped the two neighbors from doing business. In May Prime Minister Mohammed Sudani’s electricity advisor said the government was still buying energy from Iran.

 

Iraq has multiple deals with neighboring countries to diversify its energy imports but they have not come close to matching those of Tehran. The ruling parties also don’t have a real interest in moving away from Iran so this dependency will continue for the foreseeable future.

 

SOURCES

 

Salem, Amr, “Iran to partially resume energy supplies to Iraq,” Iraqi News, 1/9/25

- “Iraq’s electricity production declines,” Iraqi News, 2/9/25

 

Shafaq News, “Blackout in Diyala: Power grid collapses after Iranian cutoff,” 3/6/25

- “Diyala: Iranian Mersad power line stop unexpectedly, cause unknown,” 1/24/25

- “Iranian power cuts deepen electricity crisis in Diyala,” 5/26/25

 

Xinhua, “Iraq loses 3,500 megawatts of electricity due to drop in Iranian gas imports,” 5/23/25

 

Al Zawra, "The system lost more than 7 thousand megawatts ... Electricity: Iranian gas outage to continue for another 15 days,” 12/19/24