Erbil, March 17 (QNA) - Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Masrour Barzani on Tuesday expressed full support for Iraqi crude exports via the Kurdistan pipeline to Ceyhan, Turkiye.

In statements following a regional government meeting, Barzani emphasized that Kurdistan "has never been an obstacle" to the export process, seeking "real guarantees" the region's crude would also be exported.

He said, "We in the Kurdistan Region are more committed than any other party to protecting the economy and securing the salaries and livelihoods of our citizens," noting that "Baghdad itself initiated, several years ago, the halting of Kurdistan Region oil exports by resorting to the courts, and therefore the region does not bear the responsibility for this stoppage."

He noted that "although the quantities of oil exported through the region are limited and cannot compensate for total Iraqi exports, we are fully prepared to cooperate and coordinate with the federal government to resume exports."

Earlier Tuesday, the Iraqi Ministry of Oil announced that it is working to operate a pipeline from the northern Kirkuk oil fields to the port of Ceyhan to export approximately 300,000 barrels per day, after the regional government refused to allow the Ministry of Oil to export crude oil through the Kurdistan pipeline system to Ceyhan, Turkiye. (QNA)