TNT:
CandyKisses: Al-Saadi: Iraq’s strategic location and position made Washington covet the return of its forces
Information / Baghdad,
Secretary-General of the Jihad and Construction Movement, Jawad Rahim Al-Saadi, confirmed today, Friday, that the location and strategic position of Iraq in the region and the world as a whole made Washington think about showing the true form of the presence in Iraq and announcing the presence of its forces instead of naming them as advisers.
Al-Saadi told Al-Maalouma, “America is seeking in various ways, through its ambassador in Baghdad, Elena Romanowski, to destabilize the situation and turn the people against the Sudanese government, especially since the citizen has begun to restore confidence in the government and the political process.”
He added, “The American side seeks to prove its presence on the land of Iraq openly, as the current presence is one under the name of advisors, while Washington is trying to appear in its true form and change the name of the advisors to combat forces on the land of Iraq.”
He pointed out that “the presence of advisers was scheduled within the strategic agreement with the American side, under which the military combat forces left Iraqi territory in 2011, but they are trying to return again, especially since Iraq has become a strategic country in the region and the whole world.”
************
CandyKisses: “We have full authority.” Iran withdraws funds held in Iraq and Korea
Baghdad Today – Translation
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Baqeri Kani announced on Thursday evening (August 24, 2023) that his country no longer has any frozen funds in Iraq and South Korea after the understanding between Tehran and Washington, stressing that “Iran now has full authority to manage its money in those countries.” .
Kani said in a statement to Press TV, translated by “Baghdad Today”, that the “problem” that prevented the Iranian government from obtaining its funds in Iraq has actually begun to be resolved now, explaining that “the agreement with the US government also included the release of funds.” Iranian held in South Korea.
The Iranian official also stressed that his government “decided to keep some funds in those countries for the purpose of trade exchange,” explaining that the agreement included obtaining the benefits that accrue from the commercial use of those funds, as he described.
It is noteworthy that the US and Iranian governments reached an agreement two weeks ago on the release of Iranian funds held in Iraq and South Korea under the sanctions imposed by Washington, in exchange for the release of US prisoners held by Tehran.
************
CandyKisses: Iraq flees Iranian gas problems and US pressure towards Turkmenistan
Baghdad – Iraq Today: 2023/08/25 10:06
Iraq has begun taking serious steps to diversify the sources of gas supplies and not rely on a single source in order to provide the necessary fuel for power plants.
Baghdad has reached a preliminary agreement with the government of Turkmenistan to import gas, in a move that could pave the way for easing the country’s electricity crisis, which has worsened with declining Iranian gas supplies.
During the past 3 years, Iraq has faced several challenges to import Iranian gas, as pumping fell to low levels as Baghdad failed to pay its debts, due to US sanctions imposed on Tehran.
Undersecretary of the Ministry of Oil for Gas Affairs Ezzat Saber said that a high-level government delegation held meetings with officials in the gas sector in Turkmenistan, and it was agreed in principle to import quantities of gas to meet part of the needs of electric power plants, according to a memorandum of cooperation being prepared.
The memorandum of understanding is expected to be signed before the end of this year, and includes the proposed quantities and mechanisms to be adopted between the two countries.
Saber pointed to the importance of the agreement, which represents an advanced step to expand the horizons of cooperation with gas-producing countries, including Turkmenistan, which is one of the most important gas producing countries in the region and the world.
The delegation included Undersecretary of the Ministry of Electricity for Production Adel Karim and Director General of the Studies and Planning Department at the Ministry of Oil, Naseer Aziz.
Iraq’s
moves to import gas are the first moves of the joint committee recently formed by the government from the ministries of oil and electricity to discuss importing gas from Qatar and Turkmenistan.
Electricity Minister Ziad Ali Fadel said in recent statements that the government has taken a set of decisions and formed a joint committee with the Ministry of Oil headed by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Electricity for Production Affairs and advisers to the Ministry of Electricity.
He added that the committee will go with a delegation to Turkmenistan to study the possibility of contracting to import gas, and another to Qatar to discuss the possibility of supplying Iraq with liquefied gas through a port.
Iraq uses gas to operate power plants that are distributed in the center and south of the country, and collectively generate approximately 7,<> megawatts per day.
Baghdad’s bill for gas imports is about 8 trillion dinars ($6 billion), with imports being carried out via tanker lines, whether with the Kurdistan region or Iran.
