Years of wars and mismanagement can bring destruction to various sectors of a countrys economy, especially if the devastation has ruined the electric infrastructure.
This would be one way to control a countrys advancement. Such is the case when it comes to Iraq. Yet Iran has stepped in as a neighbor to provide Iraq with its electric needs, albeit at a cost. In the name of maximum pressure on Iran, the US has ended the sanctions waiver that would facilitate Iran providing electricity to Iraq