First Deputy Speaker Chairs Expanded Meeting on Ceyhan Oil Exports, Stresses Oil Wealth Must Remain a Federal Resource

The First Deputy Speaker of the Iraqi Council of Representatives, Adnan Faihan al-Dulaimi, chaired on Thursday an expanded meeting with the technical committee tasked with following up on the outcomes of parliamentary session (14) concerning Iraqi oil exports through the Ceyhan outlet. The session had previously hosted the Deputy Minister of Oil for Extraction Affairs, along with several ministry directors general, and was attended by members of the Parliamentary Oil and Gas Committee.

Faihan stressed that Iraq’s oil wealth must remain a federal resource under the full authority of the central government, as it belongs to all Iraqi citizens. He called for establishing clear and transparent frameworks to regulate relations with the Kurdistan Region on oil and gas, in line with the constitution, which governs the management of federally discovered resources prior to 2003. He also emphasized the need for the federal government to assert control over oil and gas fields located outside the region’s jurisdiction, ensuring that rights and obligations are defined within constitutional and legal frameworks.

He further called for the inclusion of comprehensive and practical solutions within the government program to address oil policy with the Kurdistan Region, in a way that safeguards national wealth and protects citizens’ rights.

Faihan pointed to delays in resuming oil exports through the Kirkuk–Fishkhabur–Ceyhan pipeline, despite prior commitments by the Ministry of Oil, stressing the urgency of resolving the issue—particularly in light of ongoing regional developments—to diversify export routes and strengthen economic stability.

Media Office of the First Deputy Speaker of the Council of Representatives

23 April 2026