Shafaq News- Basra

Two giant oil tankers docked at Basra Oil Port to load 2.3 million barrels of crude, a source in Iraq’s General Company for Ports told Shafaq News on Friday, marking one of the first signs of Iraqi oil exports resuming through the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Iran Islamabad Agreement.

The tankers, Lucia and Romania, have begun loading crude for export.

In a June 18 notice, Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority announced that vessels seeking passage through the Strait of Hormuz, which carries around 20% of global oil supplies, during the period specified in the Islamabad memorandum of understanding must submit transit requests. Compliant vessels will be cleared for passage provided they submit valid contact information and complete their requests at least 48 hours before reaching the strait area.

Following the Islamabad MoU and official directives, vessels that submit compliant transit requests will be permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz during the announced period.Details: https://t.co/7SPYB6INvI https://t.co/UjXJxljD6E pic.twitter.com/78Jte5aFpg

— PGSA | نهاد مدیریت آبراه خلیج فارس (@PGSA_IRAN) June 19, 2026

The Strait of Hormuz has remained largely closed since Feb. 28 after Iran restricted maritime traffic in response to the US-Israeli war launched against it. Washington and Tehran have since agreed to restore shipping under a memorandum of understanding.

Iraq, OPEC's second-largest producer, exports about 95% of its crude through southern terminals, making it particularly vulnerable to prolonged disruption in Gulf shipping.

Read more: Iraq's oil lifeline is blocked: The crisis runs deeper than Hormuz