Iran will use part of the proceeds from its electricity and natural gas exports to Iraq to buy COVID-19 vaccines from Europe, Iranian state media reported on Wednesday, quoting Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian. Earlier this week, Iran cut its energy exports to its neighbor Iraq, saying that Baghdad owes it some US$6 billion in arrears for the electricity and natural gas supply. Major Iraqi power plants are dependent on Iranian natural gas supply, and Iraq also imports electricity from Iran, as Baghdad’s power generation is not enough to ensure domestic supply. In recent years, Iraq has even received waivers from the United States to continue importing natural gas and electricity from Iran, despite the U.S. sanctions on Iran’s energy industry and exports. On Monday, the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) said, as carried by Iran’s oil ministry’s news service Shana , that “The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity owes more […]