Tehran grants Iraqi oil tankers permission to pass through Strait of Hormuz: Iran state media
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Tehran grants Iraqi oil tankers permission to pass through Strait of Hormuz: Iran state media")
Tehran grants Iraqi oil tankers permission to pass through Strait of Hormuz: Iran state media Photograph: (AFP)
Iran permits some Iraqi oil tankers to cross the Strait of Hormuz after repeated requests as Tehran maintains control amid rising US-Iran tensions
Tehran has authorised a number of Iraqi oil tankers to transit the strategically important Strait of Hormuz following repeated requests from Baghdad, Iranian state media reported on Saturday (August 22). IRNA said the approvals were granted despite what it described as heightened military activity and insecurity in the waterway amid US actions. "Despite being subjected to the most severe military measures and insecurity created in the strait due to the hostile actions of the United States, Tehran has granted permission to a number of Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz over the past six months," the IRNA news agency said.
According to the report, Iraq made repeated requests through several diplomatic channels. One such appeal reportedly came during a visit to Iraq by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's parliamentary speaker and lead negotiator in discussions with the United States. Iran has maintained that it controls passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global energy route, since the Middle East war began on February 28. Tehran says vessels must secure permission and pay transit fees before passing through the waterway.
US President Donald Trump, however, has claimed that Washington ‘has total control’ of the strait and described it as an American territory. Before the war, roughly one-fifth of global oil and LNG exports passed through the waterway. IRNA said Iraq remains heavily dependent on the strait to move most of its crude exports. "The experience of the past six months has shown that there is no alternative for Iraq other than the Strait of Hormuz to export the bulk of its crude oil," IRNA said.
The agency added that Iraqi officials continue to press Iranian authorities for additional transit permits for their oil tankers. Meanwhile, Iran and Oman are negotiating the creation of a new route through the strait. The waterway controls access to the Gulf and lies between Iran and Oman, but the discussions have yet to produce a final agreement. Tehran has also warned that establishing another route would not automatically result in the reopening of the waterway. Iran says broader demands involving the United States would need to be addressed before the strait could be fully opened.
