Iraq's Oil Export Challenges Amidst Geopolitical Tensions

Iraq exported 10 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz in April, a sharp decline due to the Iran war. Exports from key Gulf nations are affected. Iraq resumes pipeline exports via Kirkuk–Ceyhan and plans to increase output with OPEC, targeting 5 million barrels daily.

The Strait of Hormuz's closure, a consequence of the Iran war, significantly impacted Iraq's oil export figures, with numbers dropping to 10 million barrels in April, a sharp fall from pre-war levels of 93 million barrels, Oil Minister Basim Mohammed announced.

Regional oil exports, including those from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, and Iraq, have been curtailed, leading to a surge in oil prices. Despite these challenges, Iraq's crude exports through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline resumed in March after agreements between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Minister Mohammed outlined plans to boost exports via the Ceyhan port and engage with OPEC to expand Iraq's production capacity to 5 million barrels a day, reflecting the country's strategic shift in response to geopolitical tensions.