Exxon Mobil has withdrawn all foreign workers from Iraq with reference to the security situation. Oil Minister Thamir Ghadhban accuses the US company of being political.
The Iraqi oil minister criticized the US group Exxon Mobil sharp. The company’s withdrawal of foreign workers from an oil field in southern Iraq is unacceptable and unjustified, said Thamir Ghadhban in Baghdad.
„The temporary withdrawal of several employees, even if it was only a small number, has nothing to do with the security situation or a threat to the oil fields in southern Iraq, but was for political reasons,“ Ghadhban said. Other international companies worked „freely and safely“ to develop oil fields in the country. Ghadhban said in a letter to Exxon to resume work on the oil field immediately. In a few days, the minister wants to meet with managers of the group.
According to Iraqi data, the US company recently withdrew all about 60 foreign employees from the West Kurna 1 oil field. Exxon has a long-term contract to modernize the oil field near the city of Basra.
Increasing tensions between the United States and Iran had sparked fears that a Gulf War might be imminent. US President Donald Trump had an aircraft carrier, long-range bomber and anti-aircraft missiles deployed to the region. The US also announced in recent days the withdrawal of some of its Iraqi embassy staff, citing a threat posed by Tehran-backed forces.
However, assessments of how acute the Iranian threat situation is are widely divergent, both within the US administration and between US allies. The Bundeswehr resumed training for Iraqi forces at the weekend after a few days‘ interruption.
