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Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi, October 24, 2018 in Baghdad. Iraqi Parliament Office / Handout via REUTERS
Iraq has 45 days to explain to the United States how it will gradually stop using Iranian oil and gas. Since 2003, Washington and Tehran have been competing in Iraq. Since the reestablishment of US sanctions against Iran, Baghdad is more than ever caught between the two countries. In some areas, Iraqi families already have only three hours of electricity a day. Without Iranian gas and oil, the situation will be catastrophic. The Iraqi government has therefore promised the White House to gradually reduce its dependence on Iran, thus giving time to time.
As a sign of goodwill, Baghdad has signed agreements with several US companies in recent months. They will exploit gas from Iraqi oil fields, which has been wasted so far. The government also promised Washington to stop paying Iranian imports in dollars. A way not to get confused with the American ally.
But Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi nevertheless recalled at a press conference that Iraq did not want to be caught in a conflict of which it is not a party.
Since the 1990s, Baghdad relies on its neighbor to provide food, car and other goods in addition to gas and refined petroleum. He also sells him his crude oil. If the United States has a great influence in Iraq, it is the same for Iran .
For the moment, Iraq is trying as much as possible to spare both sides. The Iraqi government has openly opposed the request of the US embassy: the disarmament of Iraqi Shiite militias under the influence of Iran. These militias grew in military and political power in Iraq following their participation in the struggle against the Islamic State organization.