Iraq Pulls the Plug on Iranian Gas

Iraq on Tuesday announced a complete suspension of natural gas imports from Iran, a move the electricity ministry said immediately knocked between 4,000 and 4,500 megawatts off the national power grid. On its face, the decision sounds dramatic. In practical terms, it is but the final step in a process that was already well underway. Iraqi officials have spent the past year declaring victory over fuel imports, first halting shipments of gasoline, diesel, and kerosene while pitching a broader narrative of energy self-sufficiency. Gas was the remaining—and…