Kurdistan Region says ready to negotiate fuel supplies with Baghdad if constitutional rights upheld

ERBIL, Iraq — The Kurdistan Regional Government’s Acting Minister of Natural Resources, Kamal Mohammed Salih, said the region is open to negotiations with Iraq’s federal government on fuel distribution if constitutional rights are respected. Salih was responding to Federal Oil Minister Basil Mohammed’s recent comments on a gasoline crisis affecting the country. Salih said the KRG has consistently called for fairness in the distribution of petroleum products. He noted that the region’s share of crude oil designated for local consumption is more than double the current volume, adding that the 50,000-barrel allotment resulted from a temporary agreement. The acting minister said the KRG is willing to engage in dialogue if the Federal Oil Ministry provides all types of fuel at prices supported in line with the region’s population share. He also welcomed what he described as the supportive position of members of the Iraqi parliament toward increasing the region’s local consumption share. In Erbil, gasoline prices stood at 2,150 dinars per liter for super, 1,950 dinars for improved, and 1,575 dinars for regular fuel.