In a recent statement, the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) revealed that no agreement has been reached among the Government of Iraq (GoI), Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and international oil companies (IOCs) for the resumption of Kurdish oil exports.

APIKUR highlighted the proliferation of unfounded media statements by senior officials of the Iraqi government regarding a potential deal with international companies to restart oil exports via the Iraq-Turkey pipeline (ITP). These statements have not been substantiated with concrete proposals, leaving APIKUR and its member companies in a state of uncertainty.

The association expressed bewilderment at the motivation behind such misinformation, particularly considering reports that Iraq is incurring significant financial losses of up to $1 billion per month due to the closure of the ITP.

Despite attending a meeting in Baghdad on January 7-9, where representatives of the KRG, GoI, and international oil companies convened to discuss the resumption of Kurdish oil exports, APIKUR stated that no tangible progress had been made toward reaching an agreement.

APIKUR reiterated its readiness to engage in discussions with both the KRG and GoI officials to facilitate a swift resolution beneficial to all parties involved.

The export of Kurdish oil has been suspended since March 25 following a legal dispute between Iraq and Turkey over independent Kurdish oil exports, culminating in a ruling favoring Iraq at an international court based in Paris.