Iran Grants Iraqi Oil Tankers Passage Through Hormuz Strait
Iran allowed several Iraqi oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz following diplomatic requests, amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran.
The Government of Iran granted special permission for several Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz following repeated diplomatic requests from Baghdad. The decision followed a visit to Iraq by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, during which the transit of vessels was a primary request. Iraqi President Nizar Amedi confirmed that Tehran facilitated the passage in recent days, though he noted the broader situation remains complicated.
Iraq has been severely impacted by Iran's effective closure of the strait, with traffic remaining significantly below pre-war levels. To mitigate these disruptions, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced that Baghdad is working to expand oil exports through Turkey's Ceyhan port and establish new routes through Syria's Baniyas port and Jordan's Aqaba port. Before the conflict, Iraq produced approximately four million barrels of oil per day.
This diplomatic gesture occurs as tensions escalate between the United States and Iran. President Donald Trump claimed the strait is American territory and announced an Economic D-Day of tougher sanctions targeting Iranian oil smuggling. Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council, rejected these claims and warned that Iran would determine the management of the strait's reopening, which could include the imposition of fees.
