BAGHDAD, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Iraq's Oil Ministry announced on Saturday the resumption of crude oil exports from the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region through the Iraq-Türkiye pipeline, following a suspension that lasted two and a half years.

Export operations began at 6:00 a.m. local time (0300 GMT) with high efficiency and complete fluidity, reflecting the success of the joint efforts between the Iraqi federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government, the ministry said in a statement.

"This development represents a significant step towards strengthening the management of national wealth in a spirit of partnership and high-level coordination, contributing to ensuring the sustainability of oil exports and supporting the national economy," it added.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani announced a deal under which the federal Oil Ministry will receive crude oil produced in the Kurdistan region and export it via the pipeline through Türkiye.

The Kurdish authorities had previously sold oil independently through the Turkish port of Ceyhan without Baghdad's approval. The pipeline had been shut since March 2023 after an international arbitration ruling in Iraq's favor in a dispute with Türkiye over the Kurdish regional government's independent oil sales.

Oil exports account for more than 90 percent of Iraq's state revenues, making the resumption a vital step in supporting the country's economic recovery. ■