Shafaq News- Baghdad
US forces have not stopped any Iraqi oil tanker near the Strait ofHormuz over alleged payments to Iran, Iraq's Oil Ministry said on Saturday,urging media outlets to rely on verified sources and avoid circulatingunconfirmed information.
The ministry further stressed that the State Oil Marketing Organization(SOMO) continues to handle Iraq’s crude exports in line with internationalrules and standards governing global oil trade.
On Friday, Iraq’s National Security Adviser Qassim al-Araji rejected thesame claims after Al Arabiya reported that Baghdad pays transit fees to Iranfor the passage of its oil shipments through the Strait.
The strategic waterway has remained largely restricted since February 28following the US–Israel war on Iran, which disrupted energy flows and limitedshipments across the region, prompting Gulf producers, including Iraq, to scaleback exports. Baghdad, however, secured access to the passage after Iran granted“brotherly Iraq” an exemption from “any restrictions imposed on the Strait ofHormuz,” setting it apart from states Tehran considers hostile.
: Iraq's oil lifeline blocked: Why the crisis runs deeper than Hormuz
