Iraq thanks Iran for allowing oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz
Iraq thanks Iran for allowing oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz
2026-04-05 05:18
Shafaq News – Baghdad
Iraq on Sunday expressed its gratitude to Iran 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.
A statement from the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein received today the Iranian Ambassador to Baghdad, Mohammad Kazem Al-Sadegh, where he “expressed his gratitude for allowing the passage of tankers carrying Iraqi oil through the Strait of Hormuz,” noting the importance of continuing this cooperation in the near future.
The statement added that the meeting discussed mechanisms for joint cooperation between the two sides to ensure the implementation of this commitment in a way that serves mutual interests. The Iranian ambassador also reviewed his country’s position on developments related to the war, and the two sides discussed regional conditions and their repercussions.
Hussein affirmed Iraq’s “firm policy based on rejecting war and the necessity of ending it,” stressing the importance of resolving conflicts through dialogue and peaceful negotiations, and adopting an approach based on open dialogue that enhances opportunities for cooperation and stability in the region.
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.”
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
