US gives Iraq another 120-day waiver to import Iranian power supplies

The US State Department has granted another sanctions waiver allowing Iraq to import Iranian electricity until December as it grapples with frequent power outages and lack of domestic capacity. Baghdad has sought the waivers since 2018 but has been hard-pressed to deliver on promises to curb its dependence on Iranian energy imports. A lack of infrastructure to capture flared gas from oil production has contributed to the problem. The situation has led to frequent and widespread power outages, especially during the hot summer months, which often sparks protests.