A major oil deal between Iraq and Exxon Mobil was “very close” but had been slowed by Exxon’s decision on Saturday to evacuate its international staff from the West Qurna oil field, Iraq’s Oil Minister Thamer Ghadhban said on Sunday. “Had we concluded we would have signed a heads of agreement,” he said, referring to a preliminary document that would set out terms of cooperation on the South Integrated Project. “But now they are out of the country, why should I run after them?” he said at an oil meeting in Jeddah. Iraqi oil officials say Exxon evacuated all of its foreign staff from the West Qurna 1 field on Friday and Saturday, about 60 people. The U.S. oil major has a long […]