Iran allowed Iraqi tankers to pass through Hormuz Strait

Teheran has permitted Iraqi oil tankers to navigate the strategic Strait of Hormuz, according to state media reports. Despite facing harsh military measures and turmoil in the region due to U.S. actions, Iran has granted several Iraqi oil tankers permission to pass through the critical waterway over the past six months, reported the IRNA news agency.

Iraq had requested the right for its oil tankers to use the strait through various means, including during the visit of Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's parliamentary speaker and a key negotiator in U.S. talks. Iran has maintained control of Hormuz since the start of the Middle East war on February 28, requiring vessels to seek permission and pay transit fees before utilizing the waterway.

However, U.S. President Donald Trump asserts total control over the strait, which handles about one-fifth of the world's oil and LNG exports before the conflict, and considers it an American territory. The six months of experience have shown Iraq has no alternative but to use the Strait of Hormuz for exporting its primary crude oil, according to IRNA.

Iraqi officials are persistently asking Iranian authorities for additional permits for their tankers. Iran and Oman are currently negotiating a new route through the strait, controlling the Gulf's entrance and separating the two nations, though the talks have not yet concluded. Teheran maintains that even if the negotiations result in a new route, the waterway would not open unless the U.S. meets Iran's broader demands.