Iraq’s oil exports have been cut off due to the Iran War. It is in discussions with the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) to use its pipeline to Turkey but the two can’t agree on the details.
The North Oil Company said it is ready to ship 150,000 barrels a day of petroleum through the Kurd-Turkish pipeline for export. Baghdad and Irbil however haven’t come to a deal yet. The central government created a new online system for companies to pay customs which denies Kurdistan access to the fees. This has been a way for the two ruling parties to bring in non-oil revenue as well as steal funds. The KRG is requesting that it be able administer the process once again. Some of the ruling parties in Baghdad have rejected that demand. The Kurds have the upper hand as the country is desperate to sell oil again as it accounts for over 90% of the state’s revenues. The government can’t have an extended series of negotiations because the pressure is building for it to bring in some oil money to pay its huge bills.
In war news the U.S. or Israel hit a leadership meeting of Kataib Hezbollah on March 13. The target was the group’s secretary general Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi. His fate is unknown with some saying he was killed while others think he was wounded. This was the first time one of the Resistance heads was directly targeted. That is a major escalation in the war. The Resistance is not only a group of pro-Iran militant groups they also run political parties with parliamentarians and are involved in talks to pick a new prime minister.
On March 15 other members of the Resistance and affiliated groups were hit. The Turkmen 16th Hashd Brigade was struck in Daquq in south Kirkuk. Three fighters were injured. The Imam Ali’s 40th Hashd Brigade was a victim in the same province.
Iran and the Resistance was also active. The diplomatic center at the Baghdad airport faced not only rockets but later in the day three drones. The first strike resulted in four Interior Ministry members being wounded. The Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) headquarters in the capital also received a salvo of rockets. The CTS is considered close to the Americans. The Komala Kurdish opposition party was struck once again with four drones in Sulaymaniya city. Overall the Resistance claimed 24 operations during the day.
SOURCES
Asharq Al-Awsat, “Al-Hamidawi: Iran’s Elusive Man in Iraq,” 3/15/26
Kurdistan 24, “Rocket and Drone Attacks Targeted Baghdad International Airport and Counter-Terrorism’s HQ in Baghdad, “3/15/26
Rudaw, "Iraqi parties reject Erbil’s stance on Iraqi oil exports via Kurdistan pipeline,” 3/15/26
Shafaq News, “The Iraqi resistance announces the election of 24 operations in one day,” 3/15/26
- “Three people were injured in an airstrike targeting a Popular Mobilization Forces headquarters south of Kirkuk (Update),” 3/15/26
Al Sumaria, “Baghdad: Three marches intercepted near Victory base,” 3/14/26
- “Four marches target a party headquarters in Sulaymaniyah,” 3/15/26
- “Four members of the Ministry of Interior were injured in a bombing near Baghdad Airport,” 3/15/26
Van Heuvelen, Ben, Hussein, Mohammed, Tahir, Rawaz, “Northern exports stalled by Baghdad-Erbil disputes,” Iraq Oil Report, 3/15/26
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