ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Dana Gas on Monday announced that gas production at Sulaimani's vital Khor Mor field "will be carefully and gradually increased," ending a hiatus brought about by heightened security risks during the flaring up of the US-Iran war.

"Following updated assessments of the situation and clear assurances received from the highest levels of the KRG [Kurdistan Regional Government] and Iraqi governments, the production level at Khor Mor will be carefully and gradually increased, to support the local electricity needs of citizens in the Kurdistan Region and other parts of Iraq," the UAE-based company said in a brief statement.

In mid-July, the energy firm announced that all production had been suspended "due to the existence of a credible threat to security and the escalation of the situation in the region," coming as the peace memorandum of understanding between Washington and Tehran collapsed and led to renewed hostilities.

Located in Sulaimani province's Chamchamal district, the Khor Mor field is the largest supplier of electricity in the Kurdistan Region, with natural gas reserves of around 1.8 trillion cubic feet, and the July suspension had significantly reduced the Region's power-generation capacity.

Khor Mor has long served as a strategic target for Iran-aligned factions in Iraq, with the commencement of the US-Israeli war on Iran in February leading to the facility being repeatedly attacked and provoking evacuations of staff and halts in production.

Both Erbil and Baghdad have repeatedly vowed to limit the disruptive ability of subversive actors within the country.

On Monday, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani announced that a recent spate of drone attacks in Erbil were launched from near Mosul, calling on the Iraqi federal government to "not allow the outlaws to threaten the security and stability of the Kurdistan Region and all of Iraq in this manner."

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, whose nascent government has signed agreements with US companies to invest in Iraq, has taken a hardline against armed factions operating outside of state control, having initiated a disarmament campaign that aims to restrict arms to the hands of the state by the end of September.

According to Dana Gas, the company has invested over $3.5 billion in the Kurdistan Region and directly and indirectly created more than 20,000 local job opportunities.

With the security situation proving a key element in facilitiating foreign direct investment in the country, both Baghdad and Erbil have sought to expand their air defense capabilities in order to mitigate against persistent drone and missile threats.

Prime Minister Barzani on Monday announced that Erbil is in talks with the US to acquire its own air defense systems, thus ending the reliance on US military equipment located at Erbil International Airport.

“So far, they have been providing protection because of their own presence, but of course, after the departure of these troops, there will be a different situation,” the premier explained, with the US-led coalition set to depart from the country by the end of September.