In a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani in New York on Monday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken emphasized the need to reopen the Iraq-Turkiye Pipeline (ITP).

“The Secretary emphasized the need to reopen the ITP to encourage continued foreign investment in the Iraqi economy and commended Iraq’s commitment to achieve energy independence by 2030,” U.S. Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

.@SecBlinken met with Iraqi Prime Minister Sudani today during @UN High Level Week and reaffirmed our enduring bilateral security partnership to ensure regional stability, the defeat of ISIS, and ongoing efforts to advance a secure and sovereign Iraq. pic.twitter.com/D97l8E8YYb

— Matthew Miller (@StateDeptSpox) September 23, 2024

On March 25, 2023, Kurdish crude exports through Turkiye were stopped after an international arbitration court ruled in favor of Baghdad against Ankara, halting 450,000 barrels per day of crude oil exports to international markets.

In a recent interview with Al-Arabiya and Al-Hadath, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Prime Minister Masrour Barzani underlined that the cessation of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region has caused a loss of more than $19 billion for Iraq.

Read More: Oil Companies in Kurdistan Call For Renewed Talks on Oil Exports

The KRG has also repeatedly said it is ready to resume oil exports and hopes that the Iraqi federal government will take the necessary steps to expedite this process.

On September 22, the Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR), which represents several international oil companies (IOCs) in the Kurdistan Region, called for diplomatic talks to restore oil exports through the ITP.

“As world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly, APIKUR member companies call for the Government of Iraq to engage with the KRG and IOCs to resolve outstanding issues and immediately restore exports through the ITP,” APIKUR said in the statement.