BAGHDAD –Iraqi Electricity Ministry spokesman Ahmad Mousa has said that the Arab country was ready to pay for the gas purchased from Iran to operate power plants.
“Iraq’s Electricity Ministry has no problem in paying the current debts related to the gas purchased from Iran,” IRNA quoted Ahmad Mousa as saying.
However, the spokesman added, the previous debts to Iran belonged to Iraq’s Ministry of Finance and the Electricity Ministry had told all parties, including Iraqi government and parliament, that those debts should be settled.
Mousa also said that several Iraqi delegations have had talks with Iranian officials on how to pay the debts and installments.
Previous reports suggested that Iraq had reached an agreement with Iran to pay all the arrears related to import of gas and electricity from Iran.
Iran has recently slashed gas flow to Iraq from 50 million cubic meters a day to 8 million cubic meters.
Iraq’s gas-related debt to Iran stands at about 7 billion dollars.