Iran has granted permission for a number of Iraqi oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz following direct requests from Baghdad, state media reported on Saturday.
The move follows discussions between Iraqi and Iranian officials, including a visit by Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf to Iraq. Iraqi President Nizar Amedi said at the Baghdad Dialogue policy conference that Tehran had recently facilitated the passage of vessels carrying Iraqi crude through the strategically vital waterway.
Baghdad is simultaneously pursuing broader export diversification to reduce reliance on Hormuz. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said on Friday that Iraq is expanding shipments via Turkey’s Ceyhan port and exploring new routes through Syria’s Baniyas port and Jordan’s Aqaba port.
Iraq produced about 4 million barrels of oil per day before the outbreak of the Iran war, underscoring the significance of securing stable transit options. Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz remains well below pre-conflict levels amid ongoing attacks on vessels, and obtaining special permissions for Iraqi tankers has been a key priority for Baghdad.
