Who really controls Kurdistan’s gas? The Dana Gas deal, the KRG’s silence and the hidden cost of selling energy to Iraq

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By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Kurdish Policy Analysis      A $2.239 billion arbitration settlement, a contract running until 2049, expanded rights for Pearl Petroleum and a new battle over gas sales to Baghdad are raising uncomfortable questions about who ultimately controls Kurdistan’s most strategic natural resource. The latest dispute over Khor Mor gas is exposing a much deeper problem in the Kurdistan Region’s energy sector: the public still does not appear to have a clear picture of who controls the region’s gas, who is authorized to sell it, and how much of its future value has already been committed to private companies. At the center of the controversy is Pearl Petroleum, the consortium led by Dana Gas and Crescent Petroleum, and a settlement agreement reached with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on August 30, 2017. Kurdistan Parliament member Kawa Sheikh Ali has now sharply criticized that agreement, asking why a government would effectively commit its natural ...
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U.S. troops deploy to Middle East amid reports of potential operations to seize Kharg Island


 U.S. troops deploy to Middle East amid reports of potential operations near Strait of Hormuz

MIDDLE EAST, March 25 — More than 3,000 troops from the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division have arrived in the Middle East in recent days aboard C-17A Globemaster III transport aircraft, according to information describing the deployment, as Washington accelerates its military posture amid rising regional tensions.

The deployment, which reportedly involved 35 flights since March 12 with additional aircraft still in transit, is believed to be part of broader contingency planning that could include operations linked to Iran and critical maritime routes.

Among the scenarios being discussed, sources suggest potential operations involving Iran’s strategic islands in the Strait of Hormuz, including Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa—all of which sit along one of the world’s most important oil shipping lanes.

Separately, six U.S. Air Force C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft reportedly arrived in the region four days ago carrying MH-47G and MH-60M helicopters operated by the Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR). These assets are typically used to support elite special operations units, including missions requiring rapid insertion, extraction, and logistical support.

The reported planning includes possible operations in central Iran, with Isfahan cited as a focal point for missions aimed at securing enriched uranium sites, according to the same accounts.

U.S. officials have previously described the 82nd Airborne Division as capable of deploying globally within 18 hours. The division, based at Fort Bragg (now officially Fort Liberty), is among the U.S. military’s primary rapid-response forces.

There have also been discussions, according to reporting attributed to The New York Times, about repositioning elements of the division’s headquarters closer to the region to improve operational readiness and coordination.

As part of a broader strategic framework, one reported option under consideration involves a diplomatic arrangement in which control over the three islands in the Strait of Hormuz could be negotiated in exchange for non-aggression commitments and assurances regarding other strategic assets, including Kharg Island, a key hub for Iran’s oil exports.

An alternative scenario being discussed suggests that U.S. forces could instead focus on seizing Kharg Island, underscoring the range of operational contingencies reportedly being evaluated.

There has been no official confirmation from U.S. defense authorities regarding specific operational objectives tied to the deployments, and such movements are often characterized by the Pentagon as routine force posture adjustments or precautionary deployments.

The developments come amid heightened regional volatility, with military planners closely monitoring maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant portion of global oil shipments pass.

— Reporting by Kurdish Policy Analysis

#MiddleEast #USMilitary #Iran #Geopolitics #StraitOfHormuz #Defense #BreakingNews #WorldNews #Security #MilitaryDeployment

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