First Iraqi oil tanker to cross the Strait of Hormuz after the Iranian exemption
First Iraqi oil tanker to cross the Strait of Hormuz after the Iranian exemption
2026-04-05 05:41
Shafaq News – Middle East
Bloomberg reported on Sunday that an oil tanker carrying Iraqi crude appeared to be crossing the Strait of Hormuz, a day after Iran announced it was granting Iraq a special exemption to use the waterway despite continued restrictions on most countries.
The agency stated that the “Ocean Thunder” Suezmax tanker had loaded its cargo from the Basra terminal in early March and was en route to Malaysia, according to ship tracking data.
This type of tanker has a capacity of about one million barrels of crude oil, and data indicated that the Asian country also obtained special permission to cross the strait.
Tracking data showed that the tanker “Ocean Thunder” crossed the strait via a narrow northern route between the Iranian islands of Larak and Qeshm, a route that recent transits indicate has Tehran’s approval.
Bloomberg noted that tracking ship movements may not always be accurate due to the possibility of electronic interference with ship signals or the deliberate switching off of transmitters while sailing in dangerous areas.
Oil traders have been closely monitoring the Strait of Hormuz since it was effectively closed following the US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which led to a surge in crude oil prices and products such as jet fuel and diesel, amid concerns about increased financial burdens on consumers.
On Saturday, Ibrahim Zolfaghari, spokesman for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters, announced that Iraq was exempt from the restrictions imposed in the Strait of Hormuz, stressing that the measures “only include hostile countries,” and noting that his country “has great respect for Iraqi sovereignty.”
Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein expressed his gratitude to Iran on Sunday for allowing Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, stressing the importance of continued cooperation to ensure the smooth flow of oil exports amid regional tensions, and noting the importance of continuing this cooperation in the near future.
Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil supply passes, in response to US and Israeli strikes, raising fears of a wider confrontation and higher energy prices, amid US threats to use force to reopen it.
Iraq is among the countries most affected by the closure of the strait, as its oil production has declined from about 3.5 million barrels per day to about 1.3 million barrels per day, while exports have decreased to about 800,000 barrels per day as a result of the disruption of shipping through the strait.
shafaq.com
