US grants Iraq summer break from Iran electricity sanctions
The Trump administration’s reprieve for Iraq from US sanctions on Iranian electricity imports will extend through September.
On May 7, shortly after new Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi received confirmation from parliament, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the new premier and told him that Washington will move forward with a 120-day waiver to allow Iraq to import electricity from Iran.
This seemed a gesture of support from the United States to the new prime minister, whose confirmation followed the failure of his two predecessors as prime minister-designate, Adnan al-Zurfi and Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi. Pompeo's move came after Washington had initially agreed April 26 to waiver of only 30 days.
