Iraq to buy Iranian electricity after US grants Baghdad sanctions waiver

The US has granted Iraq a waiver to allow it to keep importing electricity from neighboring Iran despite renewed American sanctions on Tehran. Baghdad relies heavily on Tehran to provide it natural gas and Iranian-generated electricity. The US State Department’s representative on Iran said on Wednesday that Iraq had been granted special permission. “We granted Iraq a waiver to allow it to continue to pay for its electricity imports from Iran. We are confident that this will help Iraq limit electricity shortages in the south,” Brian Hook said in Washington. “Iraq is a friend and a partner, and we are committed to its stability and prosperity.” However, Iraq is now expected to demonstrate to the US how it would wean itself off Iranian gas, AFP quoted on Thursday an Iraqi source as saying. “The US gave us 45 days to give them a plan on how we will gradually stop using Iranian gas and oil,” the source said.