Iraqi Oil Minister Says Talks With Tehran Aim to Restore Hormuz Transit
Iraq is taking measures to restore pipeline exports and secure tanker transit through the Strait of Hormuz to stabilize oil output and distribution.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Iraq is negotiating with Iran to allow its oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz and is simultaneously working to restore the long-dormant Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline to Türkiye, Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul-Ghani said on Tuesday.
The efforts aim to stabilize Iraqi crude exports after recent attacks on tankers in national waters, the minister told state media.
He told the Iraqi News Agency (INA), “There is ongoing communication with Iran regarding allowing the passage of some Iraqi oil tankers.”
Al Jazeera also reported that Iraq’s Oil Minister said Iraq has reached an understanding with Iran on the passage of Iraqi oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for the country’s oil trade, after prolonged disruptions to shipping in the strategic waterway
Bloomberg reported that similar approvals have been granted to Turkish and Indian ships by Tehran.
The minister noted that Iraq’s oil exports had fully stopped two to three days after the outbreak of hostilities, forcing a sharp reduction in production.
Iraq was among the first producers in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to reduce output following the outbreak of the war, as production dropped to approximately 1.2 million barrels per day from its previous level of 4.3 million.
The decision allows Iraq to partially restore oil flows despite ongoing regional instability. Officials said the agreement with Iran would enable Iraq to resume exports while continuing to operate refineries and meet internal energy demands.
The move also provides relief to Iraq’s broader energy sector, which faced severe disruption due to the Strait’s closure amid escalating Gulf tensions. Abdul-Ghani emphasized the importance of the agreement for maintaining Iraq’s economic and energy stability during the crisis.
Iraq’s Ministry of Oil is now coordinating with shipping companies and refineries to resume controlled exports through the Strait while ensuring domestic energy needs are prioritized.
The agreement follows several days of halted oil shipments, which had forced Iraq to cut production by more than half, threatening both economic revenues and energy supplies for domestic consumption.
The approval by Iran permits Iraq to resume oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, partially restoring the country’s oil exports and stabilizing domestic energy supply amid regional hostilities.