White House: We’re Not Ending Sanctions Waiver for Iranian Energy Purchases by Iraq

On Monday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “America’s Newsroom,” White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby defended the waiver of sanctions that allow Iraq to purchase energy from Iran “to make sure that the Iraqi people have the power and the energy that they need to subsist and to survive themselves economically.” He also maintained, “We have put a lot of pressure on Iran.”

Co-host Bill Hemmer asked, “In light of Saturday’s events, where Iran hit Israel for the first time — or at least tried, anyway, those that got through — is it time to rethink allowing Iran access to billions of dollars in electricity sales between Iraq and Iran? Will that policy be stopped, sir?”

Kirby answered, “As you know, that’s an item that comes up for extension every few months, Bill. The previous administration also extended it, as have we, because the Iraqi people are just so reliant right now on energy resources from Iran. We don’t want our friend, Iraq, to not be able to power itself. We’re working with them, of course, on improving their own energy infrastructure, but it’s really something that we’re extending to make sure that the Iraqi people have the power and the energy that they need to subsist and to survive themselves economically. We have put a lot of pressure on Iran. The president met with the G7 yesterday to talk about a diplomatic response that’s unified, and to explore other opportunities to hold Iran accountable for what they did.”

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