Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq's National Security Adviser Qassim al-Araji on Friday denied reports that Baghdad pays transit fees to Iran for the passage of its oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, describing the claims as "false and baseless."

Al-Araji noted that Iran had previously announced Iraq was exempt from measures governing passage through the strategic waterway.

مضيق هرمز :سبق وان أعلنت ايران ان العراق مستثنى من اجراءات المرور بمضيق هرمز وان الحديث عن دفع العراق لرسوم المرور ادعاء باطل وعارٍ عن الصحة .

— قاسم الاعرجي (@qassimalaraji) June 5, 2026

His remarks came after sources cited by Al Arabiya alleged that US forces had blocked several vessels carrying Iraqi oil through the Strait of Hormuz over accusations that Baghdad was paying transit fees to Tehran.

Meanwhile, an informed source told Shafaq News that a Chinese oil tanker carrying approximately two million barrels of crude oil completed loading operations at Basra's ports on behalf of Iraq's State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) and is expected to depart after completing the necessary operational and technical procedures.

The Strait of Hormuz has remained largely closed by Iran since February 28 in response to the US-Israel war, disrupting regional energy flows. Iraq, which exports roughly 95% of its crude oil through the waterway, has been among the countries most affected by the disruption.

The United States later imposed a naval blockade in the strait, sharply reducing commercial shipping traffic through one of the world's most important energy corridors. US forces previously announced that, since the start of the naval blockade in the Strait, they have redirected 129 commercial vessels, disabled six non-compliant ships, and allowed the passage of 36 vessels carrying humanitarian assistance.

Read more: Iraq's oil lifeline is blocked: Here is why the crisis runs deeper than Hormuz