Bafel Talabani Warns Against 'Unilateral Decisions' Amid Baghdad–KRG Dispute Over Kirkuk Oil Exports

Peregraf — Bafel Talabani, president of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, warned Monday that decisions affecting the livelihoods of people in the Kurdistan Region must not be taken unilaterally, as tensions intensify between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government over the future of oil exports from Kirkuk.

Talabani's remarks came after Kurdish authorities rejected a federal proposal related to the resumption of crude exports through the northern pipeline system.

"At a time when our region faces serious tensions and uncertainty, decisions that affect the fate and livelihood of our people cannot be taken unilaterally," Talabani said in a statement.

He stressed that the Kurdistan Regional Government is a coalition administration and that major economic and political decisions must involve all governing parties.

"The Kurdistan Regional Government is a coalition government, and all parties must act accordingly," he said.

Although Talabani did not directly name the dispute with Baghdad, his statement comes as the federal government moves to revive northern oil exports following the Kurdistan Region's refusal to restart shipments under current conditions.

Earlier Monday, Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs and Oil Minister, Hayan Abdul-Ghani, announced that Baghdad plans to begin exporting crude oil from the Kirkuk fields directly to the Turkish port of Ceyhan within a week, bypassing infrastructure controlled by the Kurdistan Region.

"We will pump crude oil from Kirkuk fields to Ceyhan without passing through the Kurdistan Region," Abdul-Ghani said in remarks carried by the Iraqi News Agency.

According to the minister, the pipeline — currently undergoing final testing and rehabilitation — could initially transport between 200,000 and 250,000 barrels per day.

The announcement followed an emergency meeting in Baghdad on Sunday to explore options for maintaining Iraq's oil exports after shipments from southern terminals were disrupted.

Baghdad had proposed exporting up to 300,000 barrels per day through Kurdish territory, in addition to roughly 200,000 barrels per day previously produced in the Kurdistan Region. However, Iraq's federal oil ministry said the Kurdish Ministry of Natural Resources declined to resume exports, citing conditions that Baghdad described as unrelated to crude shipments.

Kurdish authorities have rejected that characterization, accusing the federal government of distorting facts and pointing to security threats and economic pressures that have disrupted oil production in the region.

Talabani urged political actors to avoid escalating tensions at a time of broader regional instability.

"This is not a moment for escalation or political point-scoring," he said. "Our people deserve stability and the timely payment of their salaries." 

He also called for dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad to safeguard the stability of both the Kurdistan Region and Iraq. 

"We support constructive dialogue with partners in Baghdad and Erbil to ensure the stability of the Kurdistan Region and Iraq, while guaranteeing that the welfare of our citizens is never jeopardized," Talabani said.

The dispute comes as Iraq faces growing pressure on its oil sector amid the ongoing U.S.–Israel war on Iran, now in its 17th day, which has heightened fears of prolonged disruption to global energy routes, including the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

For Iraq, whose budget relies heavily on crude exports, reopening alternative routes such as the pipeline to Ceyhan could prove crucial. But the standoff between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region highlights the deep political divisions surrounding control over oil resources and revenue sharing in the country.