Iraq Says it Paid Final Kuwait War Reparations

A British tank seen in Kuwait in 1991. Reuters file photo
A British tank seen in Kuwait in 1991. Reuters file photo
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Iraq Says it Paid Final Kuwait War Reparations

A British tank seen in Kuwait in 1991. Reuters file photo
A British tank seen in Kuwait in 1991. Reuters file photo

Iraq has paid its last war reparations to Kuwait more than 30 years since the invasion of the Gulf country by Saddam Hussein, officials said Thursday.

On August 2, 1990, Hussein ordered his army to invade Kuwait, before being pushed back seven months later by a US-led coalition.

"Iraq has closed the file of the Kuwait war reparations, having paid the last of its dues," Mozher Saleh, the prime minister's economic advisor, was quoted as saying by the official Iraqi News Agency.

In total, Iraq has paid $52.4 billion in reparations, he said.

"This is not a small amount," he added. "The sum would have been enough to construct an electricity network that would have served Iraq for many years."

Despite being rich in hydrocarbons, Iraq's electricity infrastructure has suffered from years of negligence and successive wars, facing regular power cuts, AFP reported.

Saleh said he hoped that the slice of budget previously allocated for reparations would now be directed to development projects.

The central bank announced Tuesday the payment of the final portion of the reparations, valued at $44 million.

The payments were suspended in 2014 when ISIS took over large swathes of Iraq but were resumed in 2018, following the group's defeat.

Funds for the reparations come from a five percent tax levied on sales of Iraq's petroleum and petroleum products.

The compensation is distributed by a UN agency to claimants who suffered losses or damages as a result of the invasion.



Oman, Arab League Welcomes US-Russian Talks in Riyadh

In this handout picture released by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during their meeting at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 18, 2025. (SPA)
In this handout picture released by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during their meeting at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 18, 2025. (SPA)
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Oman, Arab League Welcomes US-Russian Talks in Riyadh

In this handout picture released by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during their meeting at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 18, 2025. (SPA)
In this handout picture released by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA), US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (R) shakes hands with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during their meeting at Diriyah Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on February 18, 2025. (SPA)

Oman welcomed on Tuesday Saudi Arabia’s hosting of talks between the United States and Russia in Riyadh.

Oman’s Foreign Ministry expressed its support for “these initiatives to promote dialogue and diplomacy in pursuit of political solutions that foster peace, security, and stability.”

The Secretariat General of the Arab League also welcomed the talks.

Official Spokesperson for Arab League Secretary-General Jamal Rushdi stated that the Kingdom's hosting of these talks “represents a significant Arab contribution to global efforts aimed at establishing peace,” including resolving the Ukraine war.