PUK withdraws from KRG, raising risks for energy sector

With a raid on a KDP-linked contractor, the PUK signals its willingness to leverage control of gas-rich territory to push back against the KDP's efforts to gain political advantage by reactivating the regional Parliament.

PUK President Bafel Talabani speaks at the MERI Forum in Erbil in October 2026. (Photo credit: PUK Media)

Energy

Oil production nears pre-war levels, but lost capacity slows full recovery

Iraq's nationwide output reached 4.22 million bpd in September, but some fields are struggling to rebound from damage caused by long shut-ins.

Politics

Deputy PM appointment reshuffles oil sector power structure

Mohsin al-Mandalawi has already led talks with ExxonMobil and the KRG, a signal the Prime Minister's Office could be taking a larger role in strategic energy decision-making.

Security

Insurgency persists as U.S.-led coalition leaves Iraq

IS militants no longer hold territory but still probe for security gaps, while Iraqi officials give contrasting assessments of how the U.S. withdrawal will affect future capacity and stability.

Interviews

Q&A: Ali Shaddad al-Faris, member of the Parliament Oil and Gas Committee

The longtime Basra MP discusses the prospects for a national oil law, a revision to the refinery investment law, and a wave of oil sector corruption arrests.