Iraq and Iran move further apart
Baghdad’s pivot away from its neighbour is increasingly extending to their shared resources
Iraq has been giving Iran the cold shoulder in recent months as the new government in Baghdad cosies up to Washington and pivots to build closer ties with Riyadh. And the divergence is also evident in field complexes that sit on both sides of the border. The western part of the giant Iraqi Majnoon oilfield and Iran’s Yaran and Azadegan fields are parts of a shared formation. The overall Majnoon field holds c.38bn bl of oil in place and has been earmarked to reach a production capacity of 500,000bl/d in 2021. The fields on the Iranian side are part of the West Karoun oilfield cluster, along with the giant Azar and Yadavaran fields. A source who advises both oil ministries tells Petroleum
Also in this section
12 December 2025
The federal government is working with Alberta to improve the country’s access to Asian markets and reduce dependence on the US, but there are challenges to their plans
12 December 2025
The latest edition of our annual Outlook publication, titled 'The shape of energy to come: Creating unique pathways and managing shifting alliances', is available now
11 December 2025
The removal of the ban on oil and gas exploration and an overhaul of the system sends all the right messages for energy security, affordability and sustainability
10 December 2025
The economic and environmental cost of the seven-year exploration ban will be felt long after its removal
