Iran Resumes Exporting Fuel to Iraq
IRAN NEWS ECONOMIC DESK
TEHRAN – Presiding Board Member of Iran-Iraq Joint Chamber of Commerce Seyed Hamid Hosseini said that Iraq has opened its land borders for Iranian fuel trucks which had been closed for more than 10 days.
After the outbreak of Coronavirus, Iraq shut its land borders with Iran and it stranded Iranian fuel trucks in the borders. But now after the crisis in Iraq has relatively abated, the country is gradually opening its borders but Iranian trucks are still wandered.
Hosseini said Iraq has been one of Iran’s best customers of its oil products but during the outbreak of Coronavirus, exports of Iran’s oil exports to Iraq via land borders were disrupted.
He added that since opening of borders between both countries, Iran’s exports to Iraq, except its oil products, have resumed. He noted that the delay for resumption of gasoline export to Iraq was because Iranians were drivers of fuel trucks.
He reiterated trucks which carry fuel take their consignments to the exact destinations while other goods can be unloaded in the border points.
On the future of Iran’s gas, electricity and oil products exports to Iraq, he said that although Iraq has no energy provider better than Iran, the tension between Iran and the U.S. in Iraq has caused that U.S. President Donald Trump extends waiver for Iran’s energy exports to Iraq for only one month while in the past it was extended for three months.
Hossini also pointed to the decline in the value of energy exports to Iraq, adding that concern about granting waiver by the U.S. for energy exports to Iraq has increased but above all the slump in the global price of oil and gas and, as the result electricity, will lead to a decline in Iran’s exports revenues from Iraq’s energy market, expressing hope that Iran’s exports to Iraq could increase in terms of weight to compensate slump in the price.
He further said that due to the shutdown of borders, the prices of commodities in Iraq have increased because of shortage and lack of distribution.
Hosseini reiterated all Iranian goods are welcomed in Iraq but after the outbreak of the virus, Iraq’s major needs are food stuff and hygienic goods.
He stated that at this stage he cannot assess the exact amount of exports to Iraq.
