TEHRAN - The Iranian ambassador to London has said that the United States is going to grant Iraq waivers to continue trading with Iran.

Quoting unnamed Iraqi sources, Hamid Baidinejad wrote on Twitter on Sunday that the U.S. has set a condition for Iraq to issue the waivers.

According to Baidinejad, the waivers will be granted if the Iraqi government signs a deal with the American energy giant ExxonMobil by mid-June.

In the meantime Iraq has been pushing for new economic ties with the United States. 

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi has held a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo over boosting bilateral ties and cooperation in various field, as well as Iraq’s desire to transfer American technology into Iraq.

A statement issued Saturday by his office said that Abdul Mahdi received a phone call from Pompeo in which he “stressed the importance of boosting cooperation between the two friendly countries and deepening economic relations.”

Abdul Mahdi expressed his country’s “desire to transfer American technology and expertise into Iraq to create job opportunities and develop its vital sectors,” the statement said.

Abdul Mahdi also affirmed the importance of boosting efforts by the two sides to resolve “the final negotiations and the signing of the (One Package) project with the U.S. ExxonMobil company to develop the Iraqi energy sector,” the statement said without giving further details about the project.

During the phone call, Abdul Mahdi reviewed the results of his European tour, which included Germany and France, as well as discussing other important files of common interests, it said.

Abdul Mahdi returned Friday to Baghdad from his European tour, during which he visited France and Germany and signed cooperation agreements, including the signing of a roadmap deal valued around 14 billion dollars of contracts in total with Germany’s Siemens to rebuild Iraq’s electricity infrastructure following years of war.

SP/PA