Briefly

IRAQ

US gives sanctions waiver for Iranian gas

The United States has granted Iraq a 45-day sanctions waiver enabling the Middle East country to continue importing vital Iranian gas and electricity supplies. In a statement on Wednesday, the US State Department said the waiver "ensures that Iraq is able to meet its short-term energy needs while it takes steps to reduce its dependence on Iranian energy imports". Washington has applied stringent sanctions on Teheran that punish any country trading with it.