Following the rehabilitation of the Kirkuk-Fishkhabur oil pipeline, Baghdad is pulling the rug out from under the Kurdistan Region’s pressure.
Following the rehabilitation of the Kirkuk-Fishkhabur oil pipeline, Baghdad is pulling the rug out from under the Kurdistan Region’s pressure.
3-21-2026
Information / Report…
Amid the rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape that has swept the region since late February 2026, Iraq found itself facing a critical strategic test to ensure the continued flow of its sole economic lifeline. The repercussions of the regional situation imposed an indirect blockade on Iraqi oil exports transiting the Strait of Hormuz, which constitute the bulk of the state budget. This obstruction of traditional routes prompted Baghdad to activate alternative options. Meanwhile, Erbil was banking on controlling the export routes passing through its territory to the Turkish port of Ceyhan to extract political and economic gains.
At this critical juncture, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) attempted to prevent oil exports via the pipeline running through its territory to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, using it as leverage against Baghdad to extract further concessions and achieve other objectives. However, on Monday,
March 16, 2026, Federal Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani surprised the KRG by announcing that oil would be pumped directly from Kirkuk to Turkey without passing through the Kurdistan Region. This would be achieved by utilizing the old Iraqi pipeline, which has been out of service since 2014, running from Kirkuk through Nineveh Governorate to Fishkhabur, near the Turkish border.
Some interpreted this move as a significant setback for the KRG, effectively nullifying its demands and conditions, and further weakening the regional government.
In this context, political analyst Haitham al-Khazali confirmed on Wednesday that the commencement of operations on the Kirkuk-Fishkhabur oil pipeline dealt a severe blow to attempts to pressure Baghdad. He noted that this step eliminated one of the most important bargaining chips used by Masoud Barzani to extract unconstitutional gains from the federal government.
Al-Khazali told Al-Maalomah News Agency that “the success of the national effort in the Kirkuk-Fishkhabur pipeline trial has ended the era of blackmail that Erbil practiced for years,” explaining that “Barzani has lost control over the oil transit file, which he used as a means of pressuring Baghdad to achieve narrow partisan interests.”
He added that “the Erbil authorities now find themselves facing a new reality after losing control over export routes to the Turkish port of Ceyhan,” noting that “Barzani has resorted once again to the negotiating table in a desperate attempt to regain some privileges after Iraqi oil began flowing through federal routes, bypassing the region’s arbitrary conditions.”
Al-Khazali explained that “the federal government has asserted its sovereignty over natural resources in accordance with the constitution, which has led to a sense of political defeat for the political forces in the region” after they lost their ability to maneuver on the energy issue.
It is worth noting that the export capacity of the Kirkuk-Fishkhabur pipeline (the northern line) is approximately 250,000 barrels per day, while some indicate its potential to transport a portion of Kirkuk’s oil and the region’s fields, reaching a capacity of up to 400,000 barrels per day when fully operational. This pipeline is part of the Iraqi oil export system to Turkey, and the government is working to rehabilitate it to resume exports within a week.
almaalomah.me
