EU to support Iraq in US sanctions on Iran

By Emir es-Sadi

BAGHDAD

The European Union will support Iraq on consequences of U.S. sanctions on Iran, EU foreign policy chief said Friday.

Frederica Mogherini told Iraq’s Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi during a telephone call that the EU would help Baghdad "to deal with the consequences" of U.S. sanctions on Iran, according to a statement by Iraq’s prime minister’s office.

Stating the EU supports Abdul-Mahdi and his government, Mogherini said the EU is ready to support Iraq in politics, finance security, the statement added.

The U.S. has issued Iraq a 45-day waiver from U.S. sanctions on Iran for natural gas and electricity imports, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad announced Nov. 9.

Iraq, which is struggling with electricity outages and insufficient power generation, is reliant on its neighbor for natural gas imports for its power stations.

The second wave of renewed U.S. sanctions on OPEC's third largest exporter officially started Nov. 5, targeting Iran's energy, shipbuilding, shipping financial sectors.

The Donald Trump administration also granted China, Greece, India, Turkey, Italy, Japan, South Korea Taiwan a 180-day waiver for Iranian oil imports.