Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraq relies on the now-closed Strait of Hormuz to export most of its oil, with alternative routes unable to match its capacity, Oil Ministry Undersecretary Bassem Mohammed said on Saturday.

The waterway has been largely shut since February 28 following the US–Israel war on Iran, disrupting regional energy flows and forcing Gulf producers, including Iraq, to scale back shipments.

Speaking at the Sin Dialogue Forum, Mohammed explained that expanding export pathways requires substantial investment and stable funding, calling for a dedicated multi-year budget for the oil sector, as reliance on annual spending has delayed key projects.

Current flows include about 200,000 barrels per day through the Ceyhan port, while fuel oil shipments via Syria remain limited due to tanker transport, he added, noting that a proposed Basra–Haditha pipeline would link southern production to northern outlets.

Meanwhile, Border Ports Authority chief Omar Al-Waeli said crossings at Al-Waleed in Al-Anbar and Al-Rabia in Nineveh were opened in April to secure alternative trade routes, adding that the measures aim to facilitate exports and imports while stabilizing domestic prices.

Read more: Iraq’s oil bottleneck: Abundance trapped by dependency