Ahmed Rasheed and Orhan Koskun

BAGHDAD/ANKARA /Reuters – A plan by Iraq’s Kurdistan area to export gas to Turkey, Europe and Turkey is in the making. This was what provoked Iran to strike Erbil, Kurdish capital of Iraq with ballistic missiles last month.

Officials in the area were shocked by the ferocious attack on Erbil that occurred March 13. It was a rare public declaration of assault by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

According to the IRGC, strike against Israeli strategic centres in Erbil was in retaliation to an Israeli air attack that had killed two members of their team in Syria.

Many analysts and officials were puzzled by the choice of target. The villa of an entrepreneur from Kurdistan was hit by most of the missiles.

Reuters spoke with Turkish and Iraqi officials this week under anonymity. They believe that the terrorist attack was intended to send a message to U.S. allies. However, the key trigger was a plan for Kurdish gas to be pumped into Turkey and Europe.

According to an Iraqi security official, “There were two meetings recently between Israeli and U.S. Energy officials and experts at the villa to talk about shipping Kurdistan gasoline to Turkey via new pipeline.”

The IRGC and Iran’s foreign minister did not respond immediately to our requests for comment.

Reuters was told by a senior Iranian security officer that the terrorist attack was a multi-purpose message sent to many individuals and groups. They can interpret the message however they wish. Whatever (Israeli) plans, in any sector, including agriculture and energy, won’t materialize.”

Two Turkish officials have confirmed that U.S.-Israeli officials met recently to discuss Iraq’s supply of Turkey and Europe, but they did not specify where.

A former U.S. official, who was familiar with the plans, and an Iraqi security official, said that Baz Karim Barkzanji (a Kurdish businessman) was in the process of developing the gas export pipeline.

This disclosure places Iran’s attack against Erbil within the context regional players energy interests and not a single Israeli military strike on the IRGC as was widely reported.

Israel’s foreign minister said it is not aware of this matter. Barzanji has not yet responded to my request for comment.

Nechirvan Barzani’s office denied having any talks with Israeli or U.S. officials about a proposed pipeline. According to the Kurds, there are no Israeli official or military presence on their land.

RAPPROCHEMENT TURKEY–ISRAEL

Because they cannot give any statements to the media, sources from Turkey, Iraqi and Western countries spoke mostly under anonymity.

According to them, the decision comes at a sensitive political time for Iran as well as the region. The gas export plan may threaten Iran’s position as major supplier of natural gas to Iraq or Turkey. Iran is also still suffering from the effects of international sanctions.

In recent weeks, efforts to revive a nuclear accord between Iran and West have failed. It cast doubt on the prospects for lifting sanctions from Tehran on its energy sector.

The announcement also came as Israel, Iran’s most powerful enemy, and Turkey strengthen ties. Turkey is looking to further energy cooperation, as severe European shortages could result from sanctions on Russia following its invasion Ukraine.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdoan said that Turkey and Israel could work together in order to transport Israeli natural gas from Turkey to Europe last month. Erdogan met Barzani, and said Ankara would like to enter into a natural gas supply agreement with Iraq.

Turkish and Iraqi officials didn’t give any specific information about the plan to send gas from Iraqi Kurdistan towards Turkey.

The timing of the Erbil attack is quite interesting. According to one Turkish official, it seems that the attacks were more focused on northern Iraq’s exports of energy and potential cooperation with Israel.”

We know that the United States, Israel and Iraq were part of this negotiation. The official said that Turkey also supports the idea.

According to the Iraqi security officer, at least two discussions had been held at Barzanji’s villa with U.S. energy experts and Israeli energy professionals. This discussion, he claimed, explained Iran’s choice of missile target. Although no one was hurt, the damage to the villa and property was severe.

A representative of the Iraqi government and a diplomat from Western Iraq claimed that Barzanji had been known to host businessmen and foreign officials at his house, and included Israelis.

Former U.S. officials and the Iraqi security representative both said that Barzanji’s KAR Group company was working hard to speed up the pipeline. According to the ex-U.S. official, the new pipeline will eventually link with the one already completed on the Turkish border.

KAR Group couldn’t be reached immediately for comment.

KAR Group constructed and managed the Kurdish region’s pipeline. Fawzi Harir (Kurdistan presidency chief of staff) said. Under a lease agreement, it also holds a third Kurdistan’s oil export pipeline. Rosneft of Russia holds the remainder.