Trump admin. ends Iraq's waiver to buy Iranian electricity

The Trump administration rescinded a waiver on Saturday that had allowed Iraq to pay Iran for electricity as part of President Donald Trump's "maximum pressure" campaign against Tehran, a State Department spokesperson said.

News ID: ۲۰۰۰۹۷۰

09 March 2025

EghtesadOnline: The decision to let Iraq's waiver lapse upon its expiration "ensures we do not allow Iran any degree of economic or financial relief," the spokesperson said, adding that Trump's campaign on Iran aims "to end its nuclear threat, curtail its ballistic missile program and stop it from supporting terrorist groups."

On Saturday, the Iraqi Electricity Ministry announced that Baghdad was working on obtaining a new exemption from Washington and that alternative measures have been taken in case another waiver is not provided, Reuters news agency reported.

Currently, approximately 80 percent of Iraq’s electricity generation depends on natural gas, making the country heavily dependent on Iranian imports to sustain its power grid.

In July 2022, Iraq signed a five-year contract with Iran to import 400 megawatts of electricity.

In March 2024, another agreement was reached to increase Iranian gas imports to 50 million cubic meters per day, valued at around $6 billion annually. / Mehr