Report: Iraq planning to ask U.S. for exemptions on Iran sanctions

An Iraqi delegation will travel to Washington to ask the Trump administration to allow it to ignore some sanctions against Iran, its neighbor and close trading partner, Reuters reports.

Why it matters: In addition to being a strategic U.S. ally, Iraq imports about $12 billion in oil and $6 billion in goods from Iran, including food and agricultural products crucial to its political stability. The U.S. has said it will offer limited exemptions only for human rights and national security reasons, having previously rejected a joint European request for exemptions in July.