US envoy Tom Barrack discussed potential pathways to resolve the persistent oil export dispute between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region during a visit to Erbil last week, according to Kurdish politicians.
The discussions focused on mechanisms to settle the revenue-sharing and export authorization conflicts that have periodically disrupted flows from the region's fields.
While details of the proposed framework remain under negotiation, the involvement of a high-level US diplomat signals intensified pressure on both sides to reach a durable agreement.
The potential resolution carries significant implications for global oil markets.
The Kurdistan Region holds substantial crude reserves, but its exports have been constrained by political friction with the central government in Baghdad, which controls Iraq's national oil marketing arm.
A settlement could facilitate the resumption of independent export channels or formalize a more stable revenue-sharing model, effectively increasing the volume of Iraqi crude available to international buyers.