Iraq has ruled out the near-term resumption of natural gas supplies from Iran, raising continued concerns over electricity shortages during the winter season.
The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity said on Saturday that there are currently no indications that Iranian gas exports to Iraq will restart soon. A ministry spokesperson told local media that Iraqi officials received a message from the Iranian side via the messaging application Telegram stating that supplies had been halted due to falling temperatures and increased domestic demand inside Iran.
Iraq announced in December that Iranian gas supplies had been suspended, forcing several power generation units to shut down entirely while others were operated under reduced capacity. The electricity ministry said the disruption resulted in the loss of between 4,000 and 4,500 megawatts from the national grid.
Iran provides between one-third and 40 percent of Iraq’s gas and electricity needs, making Baghdad heavily dependent on imports to maintain power generation, particularly during periods of peak demand.
Officials previously said electricity demand in Iraq can reach around 48,000 megawatts during winter peak hours, while domestic production does not exceed approximately 27,000 megawatts. The shortfall leaves the country reliant on imported energy to bridge the gap.
The continued suspension of Iranian gas supplies highlights Iraq’s vulnerability to external energy disruptions and underscores the urgent need for long-term solutions, including expanding domestic gas production and diversifying energy sources to strengthen energy security.
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