Iraq moves to tighten maritime control over Khor Abdullah
Shafaq News – Basra
Iraq is stepping up joint efforts to secure the Khor Abdullah channel and its territorial waters, with officials calling the move essential to safeguarding the country’s maritime authority and ensuring safe commercial passage.
The decision follows a high-level coordination meeting held Wednesday at the headquarters of the General Company for Ports of Iraq in Basra, between the company’s director general, Farhan Al-Fartousi, and other senior officials.
“This is no longer a routine task,” Al-Fartousi told Shafaq News. “Protecting navigation in Khor Abdullah and our territorial waters is a national obligation tied directly to Iraq’s maritime sovereignty.”
Participants agreed on a unified course of action that includes regular naval patrols, advanced monitoring systems, rapid response protocols, clear operational responsibilities, and upgraded maritime surveillance infrastructure.
The meeting ended with a joint commitment to activate naval command and control centers and maintain continuous coordination to defend Iraq’s maritime borders and strategic interests in the Gulf.
The status of Khor Abdullah, Iraq's critical maritime outlet, is under renewed focus following a September 2023 Iraqi Federal Supreme Court ruling that annulled a 2013 navigation agreement. Citing constitutional flaws in its ratification, this decision has reignited discussions surrounding the waterway's legal framework. Iraqi leadership, after initial appeals, now aims for parliamentary re-legislation to address the court's concerns and clarify navigation rights.
