The Iraqi Ministry of Oil has rejected the allegations against Ali Maarij al-Bahadly, Deputy Oil Minister for Distribution Affairs, stressing its respect for legal and judicial procedures.

Allegations of Oil Sales to Iran

The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Ali Maarij al-Bahadly, accusing him of selling oil to Iran during the Iran-Iraq War.

Oil Ministry Expresses Readiness to Cooperate

While rejecting the allegations, the Iraqi Ministry of Oil stated its full readiness to cooperate with any fair investigation into the matter.

Clarification on Oil Export Responsibilities

The ministry also stated that crude oil export operations, marketing, loading of petroleum products, and related procedures do not fall within the responsibilities of the Deputy Minister for Distribution Affairs. Instead, they are managed by specialized bodies and companies according to approved procedures and mechanisms.

SOMO Issues Clarification Statement

The ministry further noted that Iraq’s State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) had previously issued a statement clarifying its export and marketing mechanisms and denying rumors circulating on the issue.

U.S. Treasury Claims on Oil Mixing

The U.S. Treasury Department stated that al-Bahadly allegedly transferred millions of dollars’ worth of Iraqi oil daily to a smuggler, who then mixed it with Iranian oil.

Allegations of Document Forgery

Al-Bahadly has also been accused of falsifying documents related to the sale and marketing of Iranian oil and exporting it as Iraqi oil.

The U.S. Treasury sanctions come at a time when Iranian oil exports are already under sanctions, with the United States actively restricting their sale.