Nazim Dabagh stated that US sanctions on Iran had not affected trade between the neighbors.

“Exports and sales of the Kurdistan Region’s oil to Iran still happen every day,” Dabagh said in an interview with Voice of America published on Monday, January 7.

“The US President’s speech on oil sales to Iran by Kurds could have meant Kurds in Iraq because the PYD [Democratic Union Party] has already rejected [the allegation],” he added.

US President Donald Trump said during a cabinet meeting on January 2 that Kurds were selling a small amount of oil to Iran.

“And we asked them not to sell it to Iran. But the Kurds - our partners - are selling oil to Iran. We're not thrilled about that. Okay? I'm not happy about it at all. At the same time, they fight better when we fight with them,” he added.

He went on to say that the Kurds should not depend on the countries such as the United States and Russia, but should instead work with neighboring countries.

“Neighboring countries are more important for Kurds,” he argued.

The US reimposed crippling unilateral sanctions on Iran's energy and finance sectors on November 5, following his May decision to abandon the landmark 2015 nuclear deal between major powers and Tehran.

His administration granted Iraq a 45-day waiver to continue buying electricity and natural gas from its eastern neighbor and, later, extended the waiver by a further 90-days.

Reporter’s code: 50101