Shafaq News- Baghdad

Moody’s Investors Service on Saturday downgraded Iraq’s outlook to negative, citing rising regional tensions and increasing risks to the country’s oil-dependent economy and export flows.

The agency warned that Iraq’s reliance on oil exports leaves it vulnerable to disruptions in key maritime routes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 90% of Iraqi crude is transported. It added that any interruption could quickly tighten state revenues and foreign currency inflows.

Although the Iraqi Ministry of Oil indicated that oil exports from the country’s southern provinces have resumed after more than 45 days of suspension, Moody’s expects it will take time for export levels to return to normal, as the US-Iranian temporary ceasefire implemented on April 8 continues to hold.

The agency previously reported an 80% drop in Baghdad’s oil production, noting that the decline pushed crude inventories to elevated levels. It also kept Iraq’s credit rating unchanged at “Caa1,” a level reflecting high credit risk.

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