Iran Grants Permission for Iraqi Oil Tankers to Pass Through Strait of Hormuz

Iran has allowed some Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after repeated requests from Baghdad, state media IRNA reported.

The move comes as shipping traffic through the key waterway remains well below pre-war levels, with the critical waterway emerging as a key bargaining tool in the conflict between Iran and the United States.

Iraq's Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said on Friday that Baghdad is working to expand its oil exports through Turkey's Ceyhan port, while also seeking to begin exporting oil through Syria's Baniyas port and Jordan's Aqaba port.

The development highlights the importance of finding alternative routes for Iraq's oil exports as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains disrupted.