Lebanese authorities have begun to unload the first shipment of Iraqi fuel, which arrived to Lebanon yesterday as part of the agreement made by the two countries, whereby Iraq would supply Lebanon with heavy fuel oil for a year.

According to Iraq news agency, the first shipment contained 31 thousand tons of gasoil, noting that half the amount was delivered to the Zahrani refinery, and another in the Dir-Ammar in Tripoli.

The agency noted that the second shipment will arrive to Lebanon next week as part of the agreement which states that a tender must be held every month to refine the oil meant for Lebanon's plants, with the second tender occuring the first week of October.

Earlier in September, the Lebanese Energy Minister announced that the first shipment of Iraqi fuel will arrive in the second week of September, with the second due a week after the first.

In July, Energy Minister Raymond Ghajar signed a deal with the Iraqi government in Baghdad to import one million tons of fuel to assuage Lebanon's electricity crisis.