Sun Mar 09 20:36:04 UTC 2025: ## Iraq Faces Severe Power Crisis After US Ends Iranian Energy Import Waiver
**Baghdad, Iraq** – Iraq is bracing for a major electricity crisis after the United States ended a sanctions waiver allowing the country to import electricity and potentially gas from Iran. The decision, announced Sunday by the US State Department, aligns with the Trump administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Tehran. While the US claims Iranian electricity only accounted for 4% of Iraq’s consumption, Iraqi officials say the loss of both electricity and gas imports could cripple the nation’s power grid, resulting in a loss of over 30% of its electricity generation.
The waiver, granted in 2018 following the reimposition of sanctions on Iran, had allowed Iraq, a key US partner, to circumvent restrictions on Iranian energy imports. However, the US has now revoked it, citing a need to prevent Iran from receiving economic relief. The move comes despite Iraq’s decades-long struggle with power shortages stemming from war, corruption, and mismanagement, leaving it heavily reliant on Iranian energy to meet its domestic needs.
Three Iraqi energy officials told Reuters that immediate alternatives to Iranian energy are unavailable. This leaves millions of Iraqis facing potentially crippling power outages, especially during the scorching summer months when temperatures regularly exceed 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). Many rely on expensive and polluting diesel generators.
Ahmad Moussa, a spokesperson for Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity, confirmed that Iranian gas supplies to power plants in Baghdad and the central Euphrates region have already been cut for two months, with southern plants experiencing unstable supply. The ministry, however, has not yet received official notification regarding the status of gas imports.
The US embassy in Baghdad urged Iraq to quickly reduce its dependence on Iranian energy, but the country’s immediate options remain limited. The timing of the waiver’s termination is noteworthy, coming just two days after President Trump’s letter to Iranian leadership proposing nuclear talks and threatening military action if Iran fails to cooperate. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected negotiations with what he called a “bully,” while the Iranian mission to the UN hinted at possible discussions on non-nuclear issues. This development further complicates the already strained relationship between the US and Iran and leaves Iraq grappling with a critical energy crisis.
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