Halbousi from Washington: Iraq needs three years on Iran power
Iraq's parliament speaker voiced hope Friday that the United
States will keep waiving sanctions on energy purchases from Iran, saying his
country will need to import electricity from its neighbor for three years.
President Donald Trump's administration has sought to cut
off all exports from Iran but has twice granted three-month exemptions to Iraq,
mindful of chronic blackouts that have reignited unrest in the war-torn
country.
"Hopefully this waiver will be extended until Iraq can
stand on its feet economically," Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi said at the
US Institute of Peace on a visit to Washington, where he met leaders including
Vice President Mike Pence.
Halbousi, a member of the Sunni minority whose bloc is
nonetheless considered sympathetic to Shiite power Iran, said Iraq imported 30
percent of its power despite its plentiful oil reserves and needed about three
years to develop its own capacity.
"After these three years, maybe we can see Iraq as
economically independent and we won't need to import power or electricity from
a foreign country. Maybe we can address this issue after three years," he
said.
Speaking afterwards to reporters, Halbousi warned the United
States of the negative effect of "any hasty, uncalculated step to adopt
policies and procedures against countries in this region."
Trump last year exited an international agreement on curbing
Iran's nuclear program and reimposed punishing sanctions with hopes of curbing
the clerical regime's influence around the Middle East.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, meeting Thursday with
Halbousi, said he supported an Iraq "open to the region and the world"
and pledged US help for the country's development, according to a State
Department statement that did not mention Iran.