Iraq is suffering the second month of power outages due to cutbacks in Iranian energy exports.
On July 2 an Electricity Ministry official announced that Iranian natural gas exports to Iraq had dropped by 50%. Usually Tehran sent 55 million cubic meters per day of gas to Iraq but now it was only receiving 24 million cubic meters. Iraq’s power grid lost 3,800 megawatts of electricity as a result.
Back in mid-June Iran warned that it was halting some of its natural gas production. This was due to some facilities being hit during the Israel-Iran War. That conflict is over now but Tehran has not ramped up its output.
Iran has been cutting its exports to Iraq for the last two months. Starting in May gas sales were down by more than 50% leading to 3,500 megawatt drop in output. By the start of June Baghdad’s power production was down 5,000 megawatts.
This comes at the worst time for Iraq as temperatures are rising during the summer months. Iraq’s electricity grid is always strained during that season because demand is far above supply. Now that gap is even larger due to Iran. The result is blackouts in central and southern Iraq which consume most of Tehran’s gas.
SOURCES
Al Aalem, “Iran’s gas industry has ground to a halt. Will Iraq be plunged into darkness?” 6/17/25
Bas News, “Iran Cuts Gas to Iraq, 3,800 MW Lost from Grid,” 7/2/25
Al Mada, “Iranian gas outage costs Iraq 5,000 megawatts,” 6/3/25
Xinhua, “Iraq loses 3,500 megawatts of electricity due to drop in Iranian gas imports,” 5/23/25
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