Iraqi judiciary confirms oil contracts legality, Kurdistan Region declares

Last Update: 2025-01-31 01:10:24 - Source: Shafaq News
Iraqi judiciary confirms oil contracts legality, Kurdistan Region declares

Shafaq News/ The Ministry of Natural Resources in the Kurdistan Regionannounced, on Thursday, that the Iraqi Court of Cassation issued a rulingconfirming the legality of contracts between the region and oil companies.

"The Karkh Court, after several judicial sessions and a review ofprevious rulings, decided to reverse its prior decisions that had favored theIraqi Ministry of Oil against the Kurdistan Region’s oil policy” the ministry saidin a statement.

Criticizing the Federal Ministry of Oil, of “attempting once again tochallenge the rulings in its favor”, the statement welcomed the final ruling notingthat “the Iraqi Court of Cassation reinforced the legal standing of the oilcontracts signed by the Kurdistan Region with operating oil and gas companies."

The ministry emphasized that this decision affirms the validity of theprocedures followed by the region in signing agreements with foreign companies.

This ruling comes amid the ongoing dispute between the Iraqi government andthe Kurdistan Region over the management of oil resources. The region assertsits right to independently regulate the oil and gas sector according to theIraqi constitution, while Baghdad seeks to exert full control over the sector.

The oil and gas issue remains one of the most sensitive topics betweenBaghdad and Erbil, with recent years seeing a legal and political escalationregarding the legitimacy of the contracts signed by the region with foreigncompanies.

In 2022, the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court ruled that the Kurdistan Region'soil and gas law was unconstitutional, prompting the central government toattempt to assert control over the sector.

Despite this, the region continues to defend its position, citing itsinterpretation of the Iraqi constitution, which grants it extensive powers tomanage its natural resources.