Middle East

Iran Says Iraqi Ships Are Allowed to Use Strait of Hormuz

Oil tankers and ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates on March 11.Photographer: Altaf Qadri/AP Photo

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By Patrick Sykes, Kateryna Kadabashy, and Anthony Di Paola

April 4, 2026 at 5:48 PM UTC

Updated on

April 4, 2026 at 7:33 PM UTC

The Iranian military said major oil producer Iraq is exempt from shipping restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, a potentially significant move for global crude supplies.

“Brotherly Iraq is exempt from any restrictions we have imposed on the Strait of Hormuz,” Iran’s military spokesman said in an Arabic-language video statement published by state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.