Iran grants permission for Iraqi oil tankers to pass through Strait of Hormuz: Report

Iran has granted special permission to several Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz following repeated requests from Baghdad, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on Saturday.

The decision came after Iraq raised the issue through multiple channels, including during Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf’s recent visit to the country.

Iraq seeks access through Strait of Hormuz

IRNA reported that securing permission for Iraqi oil tankers to transit the Strait was among Baghdad’s key requests during Ghalibaf’s visit.

Iraqi President Nizar Amedi said Iran had facilitated the passage of vessels carrying Iraqi crude in recent days. He added that Baghdad had discussed the export of Iraqi oil through the Strait with Iranian officials.

However, Amedi said the issue remained complicated. He was speaking at the Baghdad Dialogue policy conference on Saturday.

Hormuz disruption hits Iraqi oil exports

Iraq has been among the countries most affected by Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with shipping traffic remaining significantly below pre-war levels.

Vessels operating in and around the strategic waterway have also continued to face security threats, further complicating Iraq’s oil exports.

Iraq was producing around 4 million barrels of oil per day before the outbreak of the Iran war, making reliable export routes crucial to its economy.

Baghdad seeks alternative oil routes

With exports through Hormuz facing uncertainty, Iraq is working to expand alternative routes for transporting its crude.

Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said on Friday that Baghdad was seeking to increase oil exports through Turkey’s Ceyhan port.

Iraq is also looking to begin exports through Syria’s Baniyas port and Jordan’s Aqaba port as it seeks to reduce its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz.