Iran permits Iraqi oil tankers to transit Strait of Hormuz

Iran has granted permission for a number of Iraqi oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran's state news agency IRNA. The approval came after Baghdad made repeated requests through various diplomatic channels.

IRNA reported that securing special passage rights for Iraqi tankers was one of the main asks raised during Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf's recent visit to Iraq.

Iraqi President Nizar Amedi confirmed on Saturday that Iran had facilitated the movement of vessels carrying Iraqi oil through the strait in recent days. Speaking at the Baghdad Dialogue policy conference, he said Baghdad had discussed oil export routes through Hormuz with Iranian officials, though he described the issue as still complicated.

Iraq has been among the nations hardest hit by Iran's effective closure of the strait. Traffic through the waterway remains well below pre-war levels, and ships in the area continue to face attacks.

Before the outbreak of the Iran war, Iraq produced roughly 4 million barrels of oil per day. Baghdad is now working to diversify its export routes, with Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi saying on Friday that Iraq aims to expand shipments through Turkey's Ceyhan port and begin exports via Syria's Baniyas port and Jordan's Aqaba port.