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The Iraqi and US flags sway outside a hotel in Baghdad on September 27, 2020. Photo: Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP
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ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The US is reviewing all current sanctions exemptions that offer Iran any form of economic or financial relief, a State Department spokesperson told Rudaw on Thursday, calling on Iraq to end its dependence on Iran's energy "as soon as possible."
"In line with National Security Presidential Memorandum 2, we are reviewing all existing sanctions waivers that provide Iran any degree of economic or financial relief," the spokesperson said in a written statement.
"We urge the Iraqi government to eliminate its dependence on Iranian sources of energy as soon as possible, and welcome the Iraqi Prime Minister’s commitment to achieve energy independence," they added.
US government in summer extended its sanctions waiver for Iraq to purchase electricity from Iran for another 120 days.
Washington has repeatedly renewed a four-month waiver to Baghdad in a bid to help the country provide sufficient electricity to its people.
Iraq is heavily dependent on gas imports from neighboring Iran to prop up its production of electricity. The waivers help Iraq bypass existing US sanctions on Iranian exports and are intended to act only as a short-term stopgap until Iraq is able to wean itself off of Iran for its energy needs.
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