Official says Iraq ready to pay back debt to Iran
A spokesman for the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity says his country is ready to pay back its debt for imports of gas and electricity from Iran.
"The Ministry of Electricity is ready to pay back its debts to Iran based on the agreement of the delegations that previously visited Tehran. They money is a weight on our shoulders that we have to pay to Iran," Ahmed Musa told Baghdad al-Yawm news agency.
Gas imports from Iran generate as much as 45 percent of Iraq's 14,000 megawatts of electricity consumed daily. Iran transmits another 1,000 megawatts directly, making itself an indispensable energy source for its Arab neighbor.
Musa claimed that Iran is slashing the gas flow, while the electricity transmission line is totally cut off.
"Iran's gas exports which should be 50 million cubic meters stand at 8.5 million cubic meters," he said. "Iran's electricity exports to Iraq are completely cut off, and the power used by citizens is generated internally."
The exact amount of the Iraqi debt is not known. In the past, Iranian officials have said between $6 billion and $7 billion of Iranian funds are held in the Arab country.
Iraq owes the money to Iran for importing gas and electricity, which has continued despite illegal US sanctions, but Tehran has been unable to obtain its assets frozen in Iraqi banks under US pressure.
ME
