IRAQ PERSPECTIVE

Automated ship tracking data revealed on Saturday, May 2, that a massive oil tanker carrying approximately one million barrels of Iraqi crude successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel had loaded at Basra export terminals before navigating through the strategic bottleneck over several days.

It was the second vessel to successfully make this journey toward Iraqi ports in recent weeks, following a Greek-owned vessel flying a Maltese flag. Iraq, an OPEC+ member whose quotas far exceed its actual production, is entirely dependent on Hormuz for its oil exports.

Iraq finds itself in a delicate position: a member of the American alliance while sharing a long border with Iran and hosting pro-Iranian militias. Baghdad cannot afford to publicly back either Washington or Tehran, preferring to maintain communication channels with both. The successful tanker transit provides an economic lifeline, but the situation remains fragile.