Abdul-Jabbar told the Associated Press (AP) on Thursday, July 7, that the deals, which circumvent the government in Baghdad, are "illegal and amount to oil smuggling."

In February, the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court issued a verdict against the KRG's law on oil contracts, which ruled the contracts were against the constitution.

The KRG has rejected the ruling describing it as "political and unconstitutional."

The KRG said on July 6 that it will not give up its constitutional rights or submit to pressure or threats from the federal government that would violate the rights of the people of the Kurdistan Region.

The Kurdish service of Voice of America (VOA) said on July 4 that a court in al-Karkh, Baghdad, issued a decision on the same day on four international oil companies operating in the Kurdistan Region.

VOA added that the court’s decision was in the interest of the Iraqi Oil Ministry and that the court did not reveal the ruling.

Abdul-Jabbar told the AP that the Oil Ministry "will give them a soft message: You are working in the smuggling of oil."

"If they are a respectful company they will listen to the Iraqi Ministry," he added.

The KRG’s Minister of Natural Resources filed a civil suit against the Iraqi Minister of Oil on June 5 for sending letters to oil companies working in the Region, calling for them to appear before the court’s sessions.

A statement from the Ministry of Natural Resources noted the companies summoned to the court included DNO, ASA, Western Zagros, HKN Energy, ShaMaran Petroleum Corp., Genel Energy, Addax Petroleum and Gulf Keystone Petroleum.

While Baghdad and Erbil have conflicted with the oil and gas sector for years, the dispute intensified the political disagreements between the Shia parties in the Iraqi parliament over forming the new government.

The KRG has not been observed to respond to the Iraqi oil minister's comments at the time of publishing this report.

The KRG Council of Ministers held a discussion on Wednesday over judicial and legal steps in response to what it considers unjust and unconstitutional pressure from the Iraqi Ministry of Oil.

The KRG said in a statement the federal government has unconstitutionally decided to hold back from sending the budget to Erbil and stated Baghdad is attempting to prevent the KRG from accessing its own oil revenue and local revenues.

A court in al-Karkh, Baghdad, issued a decision on Monday on four international oil companies operating in the Kurdistan Region, a source who attended the proceedings said.

The source noted the court’s decision was in the interest of the Iraqi Oil Ministry, and that the court did not reveal the ruling.

The Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced the same day that three US oil companies operating in the Kurdistan Region confirmed they will abide by the Federal Supreme Court’s verdict and close their contracts with the KRG.

The KRG’s Minister of Natural Resources filed a civil suit against the Iraqi Minister of Oil on June 5 for sending letters to oil companies working in the Region, calling for them to appear before the court’s sessions.

A statement from the Ministry of Natural Resources noted the companies summoned to the court included DNO, ASA, Western Zagros, HKN Energy, ShaMaran Petroleum Corp., Genel Energy, Addax Petroleum and Gulf Keystone Petroleum.

Reporter's code: 50101