Iranian drone attacks on Kurdistan's oil fields ignite tension and push Baghdad to restart the export pipeline.

Arab Sea Newspaper - Special

Reliable sources revealed a dangerous escalation in mid-July, when Iraqi armed groups backed by Iran launched drones targeting oil facilities in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, disrupting half of the region's oil production and sparking widespread American anger. According to reports, the drones were launched from inside Iraq and hit the Sarsang field and a neighboring field operated by Hunt Oil, both of which are managed by American companies, including "HKN Energy," owned by the family of the late American billionaire Ross Perot. The sources suggested that the attack was a "direct Iranian response" to American strikes targeting nuclear sites in Iran earlier in July. The attack led to the cessation of operations by international oil companies, including "Norwegian DNO," and disrupted production in local companies, amid a state of security tension and concern about escalation. In the wake of this attack, Washington intensified its "political pressure on Baghdad," demanding that the Iraqi government take a clear stance on the activities of armed groups loyal to Iran. Sources in President "Donald Trump's" administration said that Secretary of State "Marco Rubio" sent firm messages to Iraqi officials, warning that "the moment of choice is near," referring to the need for Iraq to balance its relations between Tehran and Washington. In a clear response to this pressure, the Iraqi government recently restarted the oil export pipeline from Kurdistan to Turkey, after a months-long shutdown, in a move seen as an indication that the balance within Iraq is tilting in favor of Washington.