Erbil governor cuts gasoline price to ease fuel shortage, warns violators

ERBIL, Iraq — The Kurdistan Regional Government has moved to ease a gasoline shortage in Erbil, with Governor Omid Khoshnaw setting the price of regular fuel at 850 dinars per liter and announcing that 280 filling stations have aligned with the new state-subsidized rate of 750 dinars. Long queues have formed at the limited number of stations still operating, as many stations across the city have run out of supply. Drivers have reported waiting hours for fuel, with several saying they were unable to fill their tanks before supplies ran out. KRG government spokesperson Peshawa Hewremani said a comprehensive meeting had been held with gasoline traders and that the crisis would be resolved as soon as possible. He called on filling stations to reduce their profit margins and said citizens' interests must take priority. Residents have said the crisis has disrupted daily life, with some temporarily halting work because they cannot access fuel. Kurdistan Region Natural Resources Minister Kamal Salih Mohammed warned that stations failing to apply the new tariff would face strict legal action. No further details on the legal measures or the timeline for restoring supply were immediately available.