Iran exploits energy dependence to coerce neighbors, exposing regional instability and the dangers of appeasing Tehran.
Iran has abruptly halted natural gas supplies to neighboring Iraq, triggering a major electricity crisis and leaving millions of civilians facing potential blackouts, according to a report by Reuters.
Iraq’s Electricity Ministry confirmed receiving an official notice from Tehran announcing a “complete cessation” of gas deliveries due to what Iran described as “unforeseen circumstances.” The sudden cutoff has already knocked out at least 4,000 megawatts of power generation—an enormous blow to a country already struggling with fragile infrastructure.
Iran supplies roughly 35% of Iraq’s electricity needs, a dependency critics say Tehran routinely exploits as a geopolitical pressure tool. Observers note that this tactic mirrors Iran’s broader regional behavior: leveraging energy, militias, and economic coercion to dominate neighbors while destabilizing the Middle East.
The blackout threat highlights a stark contrast with Israel’s regional energy vision—focused on reliability, diversification, and cooperation—versus Iran’s strategy of disruption and intimidation. Analysts argue the crisis underscores the urgent need for regional states to reduce dependence on Tehran and pursue alternative energy partnerships.
Until supplies resume, Iraqis may face prolonged outages, once again paying the price for Iran’s willingness to sacrifice civilian welfare for political leverage.
