Iraq's electricity crisis will worsen following the halt of Iranian electricity imports and could escalate sharply if Iranian gas supplies are disrupted, further undermining electricity generation, disrupting businesses and triggering protests. Numerous protests, ranging in size from dozens to hundreds of participants, have erupted across Iraq's central and southern provinces in recent weeks, in response to electricity outages and allegations of insufficient service provision. These demonstrations, observed in areas including Najaf, Karbala, al-Diwaniyah, Babil, Basra and Dhi Qar, have so far largely remained peaceful. But at times, protesters have blocked roads, burned tires and scuffled with Iraqi security forces. Many Iraqis are currently enduring up to six hours of daily blackouts, with limited access to private generators. The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity has blamed the outages on a combination of factors, including fuel shortages, deteriorating electricity infrastructure and overconsumption. But the expiration of the U.S. sanctions waiver in March that...
