Iran Grants Passage to Iraqi Oil Tankers Through Hormuz Strait

Iran has authorized a limited number of Iraqi oil tankers to transit through the Strait of Hormuz, following persistent appeals from Baghdad through various diplomatic channels, as reported by Iranian state media.

According to the IRNA government news agency on Saturday, securing special permission for Iraqi tankers was a primary objective for Iraq during the recent visit of Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to the country.

Iraqi President Nizar Amidi confirmed on Saturday that Iran had facilitated the passage of "some ships carrying Iraqi oil in the Strait" in recent days. He also noted that Baghdad has been in discussions with Iranian officials regarding the export of Iraqi oil via Hormuz.

Speaking at the Baghdad Dialogue policy conference, Amidi reiterated that his government will not permit Iraqi territory to be used as a launchpad for attacks against any nation. He emphasized that any attacks originating from within Iraq targeting regional countries are "unjustifiable."

"Everyone is keen to prevent Iraq from being dragged into the ongoing conflict in the region," Amidi stated, adding that the repercussions of such conflicts have been "harsh on our country."

Regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the Iraqi President acknowledged its global significance, stating it "affects the whole world, not only Iraq." He confirmed that Baghdad is continuing its dialogue with Iran concerning what he termed "complex problems" within the Strait.

Mostafa Khoshcheshm, a professor at the University of Applied Sciences in Tehran, explained to Al Jazeera that Iran's decision to permit Iraqi oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz stems from Iraq's consistent stance against the United States. Khoshcheshm suggested that Iran views Iraq as a "friendly state" while seeking to penalize Gulf nations that have allowed US forces to utilize their military bases for operations against Iran, an accusation that regional countries deny.

"Iran has requested other states to do the same [and] stop the US from using their territory," the analyst added.

Iraq has been significantly impacted by Iran's de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Shipping traffic in the strait remains considerably below pre-conflict levels, and vessels continue to face threats in the area.

Prior to the US-Israel war on Iran, Iraq's oil production stood at approximately 4 million barrels per day. However, Baghdad is actively working to diversify its export routes, including through Turkey's Ceyhan port, and is also planning to commence oil exports via Syria's Baniyas port and Jordan's Aqaba port, as announced by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on Friday.