Iraq Asks UNSC to Start Investigating Oil Smuggling Operations

Iraq will request that the United Nations Security Council open an investigation into oil smuggling from Iraq by Daesh, also known as Islamic State.

Asem Jihad, press attaché of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, told Sputnik that his country intends to ask the UN Security Council to establish committees tasked with investigating the theft and smuggling of Iraqi oil by Daesh (the group known also as ISIL or the Islamic State) militants.

"The US Security Council is requested to form committees to put in effect the previously adopted resolutions on smuggling. According to said resolutions, all involved in these activities, be they individuals, companies or states, will be branded as criminals," Jihad said.    

Earlier in the day, the Russian Defense Ministry provided evidence of Turkish involvement into Daesh illegal oil trade at a briefing in Moscow.

Moscow also expects that members of the UN Security Council will quickly adopt a revised Russia-backed draft resolution on curbing financing of the Islamic State (IS or Daesh in the Arab world) militant group, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said Wednesday.

On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia had received additional evidence that oil from fields controlled by ISIL was being transported to Turkey on an industrial scale.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated on Tuesday that he was ready to resign if it were proven that Ankara was purchasing oil from Daesh.