The United States has granted Iraq another four-month sanctions waiver to purchase electricity from Iran, a State Department spokesperson informed local American media.

Since 2018, the US has regularly issued these waivers, allowing Iraq to meet its immediate energy needs without violating US sanctions, according to the American website Al-Monitor.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein addressed the country's dependence on US waivers for Iranian energy imports during meetings with Treasury Department officials in Washington last week.

The latest 120-day waiver, renewed on July 11, comes as Iraq grapples with widespread power outages. These outages are particularly severe during the scorching summer months when temperatures can exceed 50 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit), significantly increasing the demand for air conditioning and overburdening Iraq's deteriorating electricity grid. 

Last weekend, protests erupted in the central Iraqi cities of Diwaniyah and Najaf over the persistent power shortages.