Lawmakers urge Biden to deny visa to Iraqi oil minister

NEWSROOM — A group of U.S. lawmakers has called on President Joe Biden to bar Iraqi Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul-Ghani from visiting the United States amid allegations of involvement in large-scale sanctions evasion benefiting Iran.

In a letter to the president, five Republican members of Congress — French Hill, Michael Waltz, Michael V. Lawler, Kevin Hern, and Joe Wilson — cited reports suggesting that Abdul-Ghani and other senior officials in Iraq’s oil sector are facilitating sanctions evasion schemes.

These schemes allegedly enable Iran-aligned militia groups and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to generate significant revenue from smuggling and the illicit sale of oil.

The sanctions are part of broader U.S. efforts to limit Iran’s influence in the region, citing concerns over its nuclear program, support for armed groups, and activities that challenge U.S. interests and allies in the Middle East.

The lawmakers referenced a report from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, which estimated that these operations may generate nearly $1 billion per year for groups designated as “terrorist” entities by the United States.

“We respectfully request that your administration prevent Minister Abdul-Ghani from attending events in the United States until these allegations are investigated and the findings are presented to Congress. Further, if verified, we urge you to designate individuals and entities, as appropriate,” the letter stated.

Four days ago, Iraq’s Oil Ministry announced an “upcoming visit” by its minister to the United States to discuss gas investment.

The letter also raised concerns about potential misuse of Iraq’s access to U.S. dollars through oil sales, allowing Iran to evade sanctions and gain illicit access to the greenback. The lawmakers urged the administration to investigate whether Iraq’s Ministry of Oil and other related entities have engaged in sanctionable conduct or caused a U.S. person to violate sanctions.

“We request that you investigate and assess whether the Ministry of Oil, the State Organization for Marketing Oil, and the Oil Products Distribution Company, the General Company for the Ports of Iraq, the State Company for Mineral Industries, and any senior officials of those agencies, including Minister Abdul-Ghani, have engaged in sanctionable conduct or caused a U.S. person to violate sanctions, thereby engaging in prohibited conduct,” the letter added, suggesting that the schemes could have developed or expanded under Abdul-Ghani’s leadership.

The letter noted the significant impact on the Kurdistan Region due to ongoing issues related to oil exports. The lawmakers highlighted the continued closure of the Iraq-Turkey pipeline, “which the Iraq Oil Ministry refuses to reopen,” and stated that this has had severe consequences, “directly impacting oil exports from the Kurdistan Region and over $5 billion in U.S. investment, including from the U.S. Development Finance Corporation,” the letter said.

The closing of the Iraq-Turkey pipeline, which has been shut down since early 2023, has further complicated Iraq’s energy landscape. The lack of a resolution to reopen the pipeline has caused severe disruption to oil exports from the Kurdistan Region.

“Finally, it should include an assessment of whether violations of the recently passed Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act have taken place.”

“The SHIP Act, which was included in the national security supplemental appropriations legislation from April, mandates the imposition of sanctions against ports and port operators, refineries, and vessels that facilitate the trade in condensate, refined, or unrefined petroleum products, or other petrochemical products originating from Iran,” the letter continued.

The Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act authorizes sanctions on foreign entities involved in the transportation, processing, or sale of Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals, including blocking property and revoking visas for individuals and companies aiding Iran’s oil trade.

The letter concluded with a request for a response from the Biden administration by September 30, 2024, and recommended that Minister Abdul-Ghani be denied visas to the United States until the investigation is complete.