Iraq’s oil exports passed 2 million barrels a day for the first time since the Iran War started in February. This was accomplished by drastically reducing prices and making a deal with Iran to allow ships carrying Iraqi petroleum through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iraq recently announced that it was exporting over 3 million barrels a day in oil but this is coming at a huge cost due to Iranian fees to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
The United States is threatening a new wave of sanctions if the pro-Tehran Resistance does not disarm. At the same time Trump’s desire to get out of the Iran War may mean Washington may not push the issue much more.
For the first time in five months Iraq’s average daily oil exports passed the one million barrel mark. As major fighting has become sporadic between the U.S. and Iran sales have increased.
In June it appeared that the US-Iran War had subsided and the Strait of Hormuz was once again open. In turn, Iraq began loading tanker ships with its oil. The next month however hostilities were renewed and Baghdad was right back to where it started being unsure of its economic future.
Summer and its scorching heat is just around the corner for Iraq but its electrical grid is facing major difficulties.
Pro-Iran Resistance attacks upon the Gulf States and Jordan during and after the Iran War have strained relations between Iraq and its neighbors. Before Baghdad was courting them for investment, but now that’s in jeopardy.
The Iran War is having far reaching affects upon Iraq. The latest is a looming electricity crisis. This is caused by a cut in Iranian natural gas exports to Baghdad as well as a decline in its own gas production.
In March Iraq’s oil exports hit the lowest volume since the 2003 invasion due to the Iran War. The conflict is not over yet threatening the industry’s attempt to restart production. This is causing a financial crisis for the most oil dependent country in the world.
Iraq’s Kurds were one of the biggest victims of the Iran War and Kurdistan continues to be targeted by Tehran.
The ceasefire between the United States and Iran brought back a sense of peace to Iraq. The Resistance following its Persian sponsors announced a two week halt to operations.
The news of the day was a series of strikes by the U.S. and Israel across Baghdad. The Federal Police’s 2nd Division was hit in Sabi al-Bour in the north. This was likely a mistake as a nearby Hashd base was also struck. Five police were wounded. A rocket landed on a house in Amiriya killing two civilians while an airstrike blew up a home on Palestine Street. The latter was used to store weapons for the Resistance. Jets also targeted locations in Jamila and Maghreb Street in the east. Five Hashd were wounded at a camp in Taji outside of the city in the north.
The pro-Iran Resistance was active in Kurdistan and Baghdad. A peshmerga headquarters was hit by four drones on April 5. The next day two blasts were heard near Irbil airport. Four missiles were shot down heading towards the U.S. consulate in Irbil city. Multiple drones were also intercepted in Irbil province with debris hitting a residential area killing two civilians. In Baghdad drones targeted the logistics support center at the airport.
The weekend marked a paradox in Iranian strategy towards Iraq. On the one hand there were a series of attacks upon the Iraqi oil industry and on the other a tanker with Iraqi petroleum passed through the Strait of Hormuz after Tehran said Baghdad would be exempt from its blockade.
The Hashd Commission and the pro-Iran Resistance gave some numbers on the impact of the Iran War. The Commission said that there had been 83 attacks upon Hashd units since February 28 leading to 73 dead and 61 injured. The Resistance on the other hand claimed it carried out 753 operations and 23 alone on April 3.
As the Iran War enters its second month Iran and its allies’ strategy has become apparent. They are focusing upon Iraq’s oil industry, the Kurds, the Baghdad Airport and neighboring countries. The Americans and Israel on the other hand don’t appear to have any plan.
Overnight a drone was intercepted targeting the U.S. consulate in Irbil City. Another drone was shot down over an American military base in the city. On March 29 the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad faced an attack so it appears diplomatic facilities are fair game again by the pro-Iran Resistance.
In the middle of the night loud explosions were heard in Sulaymaniya City but no other details were provided about what happened.
The Baghdad Airport was the center of attention on March 30. During the day rockets hit the military part of the facility destroying an Iraqi Security Forces transport plane. Then at night a drone crashed into the logistics center and then another crashed on the military side. The security forces also found a truck laden with drones in the Musayib district in northern Babil that were also aimed at the airport. The facility has been a favorite target of the pro-Iran groups since the U.S. invasion. It is not only used by the Americans but the constant strikes are a sign that the government cannot keep the capital safe.
1915 Sir Percy Lake new Chief of General Staff in India said UK must take Baghdad because it would be turning point in war in East (...
