Western firms enter Iraqi oil market; United Nations concerned over Iraqi oil revenues; Baghdad disputes over Kurdish oil fields delay production; Iraqi oil law disputes blocking production; Iraq, Iran spar over shared oil fields.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- Iraq’s Kurdistan Regional Government will not wait for a federal oil law before it starts signing more contracts to explore what is thought to be sizeable reserves in its territory. The KRG has already signed a handful of contracts with small oil companies and, now that it has passed a regional law governing any underground oil and natural gas, it will not put development on hold while Baghdad implodes.

BAGHDAD, Aug. 10 (UPI) -- Iraq's oil ministry said "consensus" on the oil law will come, after details are ironed out.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 7 (UPI) -- Iraq's citizens suffer from the August heat, little electricity and fuel. Death is seemingly around every corner, for them and U.S. troops. So the time may not be right for an oil law, especially the one the Bush administration wants.