Latest news with #StevenFagin
Shafaq News
15-07-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraq signs development agreement with US firm HKN for Hamrin oil field
Shafaq News – Baghdad Iraq's Ministry of Oil announced on Tuesday the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the North Oil Company and US-based HKN Energy to invest in and develop the Hamrin oil field. Speaking at the signing ceremony in Baghdad, Oil Minister Hayan Abdul-Ghani reaffirmed the ministry's commitment to working with 'reputable' American, Western, and international energy companies to develop Iraq's oil fields, optimize associated gas investment, and boost production capacity in support of the national economy. 'We aim to increase Hamrin's production capacity to 60,000 barrels per day, in addition to utilizing between 45 to 50 million standard cubic feet (Mscf) of associated gas to help fuel Iraq's power plants,' he said, pointing out that the field is currently producing between 20,000 and 25,000 barrels per day, despite prevailing economic and security challenges. US Ambassador Steven Fagin welcomed the agreement, considering it encouraging to see an American company investing in Iraq. HKN Vice President Matthew Zais expressed pride in the partnership, stating that the goal is to employ 80% local Iraqi labor and contribute to the development of the local community in the area of operations.
Shafaq News
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Following US warning, Iraqi PM meets American diplomat
Shafaq News – Baghdad Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani met, on Sunday, with the Chargé d'Affaires of the United States Embassy in Iraq, Steven Fagin, discussing bilateral relations and reviewing key areas of cooperation across various sectors. According to a statement delivered by al-Sudani's media office, the two sides also addressed regional developments and emphasized the importance of the international community taking direct steps to prevent the region from sliding into a cycle of conflict. The meeting came a day after the US reiterated its concerns over the role of Iranian-backed armed groups operating under Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), calling on the Iraqi government to take stronger action to hold them accountable for illegal activity. A US State Department spokesperson told Shafaq News that some elements within the PMF maintain ties to designated foreign terrorist organizations and are engaged in activities that Washington views as destabilizing to Iraq's security. US officials have repeatedly raised alarms about several groups within or closely associated with the PMF that are subject to American terrorism designations or sanctions, such as Kataib Hezbollah and Asaib Ahl al-Haq, citing their links to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF) and their involvement in attacks against US forces in Iraq.
Shafaq News
10-07-2025
- Business
- Shafaq News
Iraqi FM tackles finance, KRG oil with US diplomat
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein met on Thursday with Steven Fagin, the Chargé d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Baghdad, to discuss ongoing financial disputes with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), as well as the management of oil fields located within the Kurdistan Region. According to a statement from the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two sides reviewed the latest political developments in Iraq, with particular attention to the relationship between Baghdad and Erbil and the financial challenges tied to that relationship. The talks also touched on the status of US companies operating in the Kurdistan Region and the broader issue of oil governance in the area. Minister Hussein emphasized the need for 'practical solutions that ensure fair management of national resources and deliver benefits to all Iraqis.' He also reaffirmed the Iraqi government's commitment to strengthening cooperation with the United States across various sectors and supporting political and economic stability in the country, in line with shared national interests. Tensions between Erbil and Baghdad have escalated sharply following the Iraqi Ministry of Finance's decision to halt salary disbursements for the Kurdistan Region's May 2025 payroll. The ministry cited the KRG's alleged failure to remit both oil and non-oil revenues to the federal treasury and exceeding its budget allocation.
Shafaq News
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
PM al-Sudani vows legal action over Israel's breach of Iraqi airspace
Shafaq News/ Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani met, on Friday, with US Chargé d'Affaires Steven Fagin and Major General Kevin Leahy, commander of the International Coalition Forces in Iraq, to address Israel's recent strikes on Iran and the reported use of Iraqi airspace. According to the PM's Media Office, al-Sudani condemned the operation as a violation of international law and a dangerous escalation. He reaffirmed Iraq's rejection of allowing its territory or airspace to be used for attacks on neighboring countries, vowing to pursue all legal avenues to protect national sovereignty. Al-Sudani also called on the UN Security Council and global powers to enforce international law and prevent the crisis from spiraling further. Meanwhile, both the US envoy and Coalition commander distanced Washington from the Israeli action, reaffirming that the US played no role in the operation. They reiterated America's commitment to keeping Iraq out of the conflict, citing the US-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement. The meeting followed Iraq's formal complaint to the UN earlier today, denouncing Israel's reported breach of its airspace during Operation Rising Lion, which targeted Iranian nuclear and military sites, reportedly killing senior IRGC commanders and scientists. In response to the Israeli strikes, Tehran shut its airspace, raised its military alert level, and launched more than 100 drones, according to Israeli officials.
Shafaq News
03-06-2025
- General
- Shafaq News
Al-Hol Camp's future: Iraq to convene Geneva conference
Shafaq News/ The Iraqi government is set to host a conference in Geneva this September regarding Syria's Al-Hol camp, National Security Advisor (NSA) Qasim Al-Araji announced on Tuesday during his meeting with US Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Steven Fagin in Baghdad. According to a statement from the NSA, Al-Araji confirmed that the Geneva conference will focus on returning camp residents to their countries of origin. He also reiterated Iraq's support for a negotiated agreement between Iran and the United States through dialogue. Since 2021, the Iraqi government—working alongside international organizations—has begun repatriating Iraqi families from Al-Hol to Iraq, where they are received at the Jadaa camp for psychological and social rehabilitation. However, the process has faced repeated objections, particularly from families of ISIS victims in Nineveh who fear the return of these individuals to their communities. For his part, Fagin praised the Iraqi government's proactive role in managing both internal and external challenges, the statement noted. Both sides discussed recent regional and international developments and reaffirmed their support for stability in Syria. They also stressed the need to activate the Strategic Framework Agreement signed between Iraq and the United States and to promote investment in Iraq, affirming that the Inherent Resolve mission (the US military's operational name for the global war against ISIS) would proceed according to the agreed timeline between the Iraqi government and the International Coalition.
