Iran Allows Special Passage for Iraqi Oil Tankers Through Strait of Hormuz

Iraq has faced severe impacts from Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Following repeated requests from Baghdad through various diplomatic channels, Iran has now granted permission for a number of Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the crucial waterway, according to Iranian state media.

The IRNA government news service reported on Saturday that securing this special clearance for Iraqi tankers was a primary objective during Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf’s visit to Iraq this week. Iraqi President Nizar Amidi confirmed on Saturday that Iran had facilitated the passage of certain ships carrying Iraqi oil through the strait in recent days, noting that Baghdad has actively discussed oil exports through Hormuz with Iranian officials.

During his address at the Baghdad Dialogue policy conference, Amidi emphasized that the government will reject any use of Iraqi territory for launching attacks against neighboring nations. He stated that attacks originating from inside Iraq against regional countries lack any justification. He further remarked that all parties are eager to prevent Iraq from being pulled into the ongoing regional war, noting that the repercussions have weighed heavily on the country.

Addressing the situation at the Strait of Hormuz, Amidi noted that the issue impacts the entire global community rather than Iraq alone, confirming that Baghdad is continuing talks with Tehran to resolve complex problems in the area. Meanwhile, Mostafa Khoshcheshm, a professor at the University of Applied Sciences in Tehran, told Al Jazeera that Iran made this exception for Iraqi oil tankers because Baghdad has consistently stood up to the United States.

Khoshcheshm indicated that Iran appears to be penalizing Gulf states accused of permitting US forces to use regional military bases for attacks against Iran—an allegation denied by those regional nations—while treating Iraq as a friendly state. He added that Iran has urged other countries to follow suit and prevent the US from utilizing their territories.

Despite this partial exemption, traffic in the strait remains significantly below pre-war levels, and vessels continue to face security threats in the region. Prior to the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran, Iraq produced approximately 4 million barrels of oil per day. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi announced on Friday that Baghdad is currently working to diversify and expand its export routes through Turkiye’s Ceyhan port, alongside upcoming efforts to export oil through Syria’s Baniyas port and Jordan’s Aqaba port.