Sudani is scheduled to visit the White House on April 15 for a meeting with Biden. The two leaders are set to consult on a range of issues including the future role of the US-led global coalition against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq.
A letter signed by four senators and four congressmen of the Republican Party criticized Biden for meeting with Sudani, but refusing to meet with Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani “a critical partner and the host of the most U.S. forces in the region.”
Earlier in March, Prime Minister Barzani was in Washington for meetings with State Department and Pentagon officials, as well as members of Congress to discuss important issues for Erbil, including outstanding problems with Baghdad.
The lawmakers accused the Biden administration of appeasing Iran, in light of the fact that the Iraqi government provides “some $3 billion per year to the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces militias,” a group of which have struck American interests in Iraq and Syria over 160 times since October 17, in response to Washington’s support for Israel in its war on Gaza.
At least three US service members have been killed in the pro-Iran attacks. American forces have responded with several retaliatory strikes, heavily condemned by Baghdad as a “violation of Iraq’s sovereignty.”
The letter also criticized Biden for granting sanctions waivers to Baghdad to import Iranian gas and electricity. Washington has issued these waivers 21 times since 2018 in a bid to help the Iraqi government provide power for its people.
The waiver was renewed for another 120-day cycle earlier this month.
“The Iraqi government is actively working with Tehran against our Kurdish allies, including cutting off government funds and closing the Iraq-Turkey pipeline, which represents most of Kurdistan’s economy,” said the lawmakers.
Oil exports from the Kurdistan Region through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline were put on pause over a year ago, after a Paris-based arbitration court ruled in favor of Baghdad against Ankara, saying the latter had breached a 1973 agreement by allowing Erbil to begin independent oil exports in 2014.
“You should require the immediate reopening of the Iraq-Turkey pipeline so that the Kurdistan Region is able to export oil,” read the letter, also calling on Biden to require Baghdad to resume financing the Kurdistan Region salaries, labeling them as preconditions for any meeting with Sudani.
“Your appeasement of Iran has endangered American national security and weakened our relationship with our allies,” the lawmakers concluded.
The cash-strapped KRG has frequently failed to pay civil servants on time and in full for nearly decade, and the halt in oil exports has further exacerbated this issue. Public sector employees have gone unpaid for over 50 days as of the time of this writing.
Sudani in late January presided over the first round of talks of the joint US-Iraq Higher Military Commission (HMC), the purpose of which is to evaluate the coalition’s future role in Iraq based on the level of ISIS threat, operational and environmental requirements, and the capabilities of Iraqi security forces.
