By John Lee. The US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated Iraq's Deputy Minister of Oil, Ali Maarij Al-Bahadly, along with several other individuals and businesses, as part of a sanctions action targeting what it describes as the exploitation of Iraq's oil sector to benefit Iran and Iran-aligned militias. The Treasury said […]
By John Lee. Energy Intelligence reports that Iraq's state-owned Basra Oil Company (BOC) has subcontracted management of the West Qurna-2 oil field to a consortium of Italian engineering firm Bonatti and local firm Hilal al-Basra [Crescent Basra]. West Qurna-2, operated by Lukoil under a service contract, is fully state-owned. Following recent US sanctions on Lukoil […]
By John Lee. Russia's Lukoil has signed an agreement with US investment company Carlyle for the sale of LUKOIL International GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary that holds the its international assets. The agreement is non-exclusive and subject to regulatory approval, including permission from the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Lukoil […]
By John Lee. The United States and Iraq have held discussions focused on banking reform, financial compliance, and measures to counter illicit financial activity. According to a statement by the United States Special Envoy to Iraq, Mark Savaya, the talks involved the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), […]
By Ahmed Mousa Jiyad. Any opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. MoO Should Brace for ROCs' Coerced Exodus The tripartite (UK, EU and US) sanctions against Russian oil companies (ROCs), Lukoil and Rosneft, present direct, immediate and impacting threats to the development of […]
By John Lee. Russia's LUKOIL has announced that it will sell its international assets to Swiss-based Gunvor Group. In an announcement on Thursday, the company said: "The conclusion of the binding agreement for the transaction is subject to conditions precedent including obtaining OFAC permission by the Purchaser as well as any other applicable licenses, permits […]
By John Lee. An Iraqi government spokesman has said Iraq views recent US sanctions against Iraqi enities, including the Muhandis General Company [Sharakat al-Muhandis al-Amma], as "deeply regrettable," describing it as a unilateral action that contradicts the spirit of friendship and mutual respect between the two countries. Basim Alawadi added that the Prime Minister has […]
By John Lee. The US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed new sanctions targeting individuals and companies accused of helping the Iranian regime evade US sanctions, smuggle weapons, and engage in corruption through networks operating in Iraq. According to a statement from OFAC, the designations target Iraq-based financial and […]
From Amwaj Media. Any opinions expressed are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily reflect the views of Iraq Business News. US piles pressure on Iran's Iraqi allies with 'terrorist' designations Amid a growing US push to de-fang Iran's allies in Iraq, the Donald Trump administration has designated four major Shiite armed factions as […]
By John Lee. The US Department of State has designated four Iraqi groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), describing them as Iran-aligned militia groups (IAMGs): Harakat al-Nujaba; Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada; Harakat Ansar Allah al-Awfiya; and Kata'ib al-Imam Ali. Full statement from the US Department of State: The United States remains committed to countering Iran, the […]
By John Lee. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has imposed sanctions on a network of shipping companies and vessels led by Iraqi-Kittitian businessman Waleed al-Samarra'i, accused of smuggling Iranian oil disguised as Iraqi-origin crude. According to the Treasury, the network covertly blended Iranian oil with Iraqi oil and […]
By John Lee. The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced sanctions targeting networks involved in transporting and purchasing Iranian oil, including a group of companies led by Iraqi businessman Salim Ahmed Said. The U.S. alleges that Said's network smuggled Iranian oil disguised as, or blended with, Iraqi oil, […]
