MP Mudhar al-Karawi says Iraq is making real progress in fuel production.
He confirmed that refinery output has increased by 10% over the past 16 months.
Speaking to dinaropinions.com, al-Karawi said reaching full fuel self-sufficiency is a top priority for Iraq. He pointed out that the country used to spend nearly 3 to 4 trillion dinars every year importing fuel.
“That was a heavy burden,” he said.
According to him, the Ministry of Oil has made strong efforts to develop refineries and expand production lines. He described the progress as “remarkable.”
Al-Karawi also praised Adnan Muhammad Amin, the Undersecretary for Refining Affairs. He said Amin played a key role in upgrading major refineries in Baghdad and Salah al-Din, as well as facilities in central and southern provinces.
Because of these efforts, Iraq has achieved self-sufficiency in several petroleum products — even as demand continues to rise. He noted that more cars on the road and extreme weather conditions have pushed fuel consumption higher at times.
Al-Karawi pushed back against criticism aimed at the undersecretary. He said the attacks are not objective and suggested that some people may be upset by his success.
He stressed the need to support skilled professionals inside the Ministry of Oil, saying their work over the past months has changed the direction of production and significantly reshaped Iraq’s energy output.
