Iraq’s oil minister said Baghdad is discussing with Iran the possibility of allowing some Iraqi tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported, as the government seeks ways to limit disruption to crude exports after recent attacks on vessels in Iraqi waters.
In a video statement on Monday, Oil Minister Hayan Abdel‑Ghani said Baghdad is also moving to restore the long‑idle Kirkuk‑Ceyhan pipeline so oil can be shipped to Turkey’s Ceyhan port without passing through the Kurdistan region. He said inspectors will complete a 100‑km section check within a week to enable direct exports from Kirkuk.
Reopening the 960‑km pipeline, closed since 2014 after repeated Islamic State attacks, would provide an alternative export route at a time when shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz has been severely disrupted by regional conflict. The line once handled roughly 0.5% of global supply. The oil ministry said initial flows could reach about 250,000 barrels per day, rising to about 450,000 bpd if crude from Kurdistan fields is included.
Baghdad has relied on a pipeline through the Kurdistan region as a temporary measure but accuses the Kurdistan Regional Government of imposing arbitrary conditions on its use and has warned it may pursue legal action if exports are blocked. Kurdish officials rejected those claims, saying they are not obstructing exports and accusing Baghdad of failing to address the security and economic problems affecting the region’s oil sector.
Officials did not give a timetable for Iran’s response on tanker transit, and it was unclear how quickly the Kirkuk‑Ceyhan route could be brought back into sustained operation. The moves reflect Iraq’s urgency to diversify export routes and reduce vulnerability to maritime disruptions.
