Shahrestani: Southern oil exports not impacted by crisis
In an interview with Al-Monitor, Hussein Shahrestani, Iraq’s deputy prime minister for energy affairs, says that solving the Iraqi political crisis is hindered by a lack of a unified Sunni leadership, combating the terrorist threat is a priority and Iraqi oil fields and international exports are no cause for worry.
Many in Baghdad fear that Iraq is falling apart, given the complex situation that saw the oil-rich country divided into three parts: an autonomous Kurdish region, a Sunni de facto state, while the Shiites, who took power of Iraq after the US invasion in 2003, are still in disbelief that the country they always dreamed of ruling is on the verge of division.
Hussein Shahrestani, Iraq’s deputy prime minister for energy affairs, met with Al-Monitor in Baghdad’s Green Zone and talked about the political crisis, the future of Iraq and the security of oil production and exports.
The text of the interview follows:
Al-Monitor: There are accusations that the Shiite political elite is responsible for what the country is going through. Is this true?
