DUBAI/BAGHDAD: Iraq’s attempt to ease its chronic power shortage with gas from Turkmenistan routed through neighboring Iran has failed under US pressure, leaving Baghdad scrambling for alternatives to keep the lights on.
Oil-rich Iraq has struggled to provide its citizens with power since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, forcing many to rely on expensive private generators, causing economic hardship and sparking social unrest.
Hussain Saad, a 43-year-old owner of a butcher shop in the Kasra neighborhood of Baghdad, is struggling to protect his livelihood and keep his meat from spoiling in the scorching heat.
“This isn’t just my suffering — it’s the suffering of the entire Iraqi people,” he said.
A deal first proposed in 2023 would have seen Turkmenistan export gas to Iraq through Iran, which lies between the two countries. Under the swap deal, Iran would receive the gas and supply it to Iraq, but this risked violating US sanctions on Tehran — requiring Washington’s approval.
