During a meeting on Tuesday, Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Acting Minister of Natural Resources and Minister of Electricity Kamal Mohammad Salih Khalil received Joshua Harris, Charge d’Affaires at the U.S. Mission to Iraq, who underlined the importance of implementing the trilateral oil export agreement between the Iraqi government, the KRG, and oil companies.

In July, the KRG and Baghdad agreed that the KRG would supply 230,000 barrels of oil per day and 120 billion Iraqi dinars in non-oil revenues to resume exports halted since 2023, in return for Baghdad covering public sector salaries. In September, the Iraqi government, the KRG, and oil companies signed a tripartite deal that officially restarted those exports.

During the meeting, Charge d’Affaires Harris expressed his country’s satisfaction with the steps taken on the issue of resuming oil exports from the Kurdistan Region and increasing production. 

He also stressed that the U.S. wants the trilateral agreement to be continuous and long term, and that all obstacles and issues hindering the agreement should be resolved. 

Read More: President Barzani Discusses Iraqi Govt Formation with Foreign Diplomats

At the same time, he affirmed U.S. support for investment in the Kurdistan Region’s oil sector. He added that the Kurdistan Region’s oil exports are a strategic and important issue for the U.S. administration.

Charge d’Affaires Harris also met the Kurdistan Region’s leadership this week to discuss the results of the recent Iraqi elections, and underlined that they “value the contributions of our Kurdish partners and look forward to continuing this critical dialogue to advance a strong and mutually beneficial U.S.-Iraq partnership.”