Iraqis queue for fuel as regional war disrupts supplies

Drivers in Baghdad faced long queues at fuel stations on Saturday due to a drop in gasoline supplies caused by import disruptions resulting from the Middle East war. Iraq, despite being OPEC's second-largest oil producer, relies on imports of oil derivatives as its refineries cannot meet domestic demand for gasoline.

The country's average daily consumption of gasoline is 33 million litres, but this rises to 38 million litres when people panic over shortages, according to authorities. The oil ministry attributed the shortage to "regional events and the ongoing conflict" causing logistical challenges to tanker traffic, delaying their arrival at Iraqi ports.

A Baghdad resident, Ibrahim Hashem, told AFP that he waited for two hours outside a fuel station on Friday without success, and returned the next day hoping to fill his car. He expressed frustration that despite Iraq's significant oil production, it struggles to meet its daily gasoline needs, exacerbating existing issues with traffic congestion and lack of services.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch, New Straits Times, Middle East Eye — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.