Iraq has reached understandings with the US to let its oil exports through Hormuz, its foreign minister says
Iraq has reached understandings with the United States allowing its oil exports to pass through the Strait of Hormuz via a shipping lane near Oman, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein told Al Jazeera. He put Iraq's losses from the Iran war and disrupted oil exports at $60 billion, and said exports recovered to about 3.5 million barrels a day in October from 2.65 million in September. He also said the US Treasury has asked Iraq to close all but two of its border crossings with Iran — a step he called difficult, and one Baghdad is still discussing with Washington.
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Key points
- Iraq's foreign minister says understandings with the US let Iraqi oil exports pass through Hormuz via a shipping lane near Oman.
- Hussein put Iraq's losses from the Iran war and disrupted exports at $60 billion — his figure, stated in the interview.
- Exports recovered to about 3.5 million barrels a day in October, from 2.65 million in September, Iraqi energy officials say.
- Washington has asked Baghdad to close all but two Iran border crossings; Hussein called that difficult and said talks continue.
What happened
Oil is Iraq's economic lifeline, and most of its crude leaves by sea through the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz — the waterway the Iran war has made dangerous and, at times, impassable. The September dip and October recovery in the export figures show how directly the war has hit Baghdad's income.
The crossings request is part of a wider US push to squeeze Iran's trade routes by land as well as by sea. Iraq, which trades heavily with its neighbour and shares a long border with it, has closed one busy crossing, Sheeb, last month — but its foreign minister is publicly resisting a near-total closure.
Claim by claim
Why this label: Hussein's own on-record words in the interview, reported by Reuters. He gave no terms for the understandings.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: The figure is the minister's own, stated in the interview and reported by Reuters; no Iraqi oil or finance ministry document setting out the figure was read, so it is carried as his figure.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: The export figures are Iraqi energy officials' figures, reported by Reuters.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Show all claims (2 more)
Why this label: Hussein's own account of the request and of Iraq's response, in his own words in the interview, reported by Reuters and Anadolu.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
Why this label: Reported by Reuters in the same report; the closure predates the current request.
On the ladder: a claim earns Verified from primary evidence, or from two independent sources that do not copy each other.
What we know / what we don't know yet
What we know
- What the foreign minister said: the Hormuz understandings, his $60 billion losses figure, the export recovery, and the US crossings request he is resisting.
- Iraq closed the Sheeb crossing with Iran last month for a security review and anti-smuggling equipment.
What we don't know yet
- The terms of the Hormuz understandings — Hussein gave none, and no US statement on them was in the reports read.
- Whether Iraq will agree to close more crossings, and what Washington will do if it does not.
- How the $60 billion losses figure is made up — no breakdown has been published.
Why it matters
How Iraqi crude moves through Hormuz affects oil supply well beyond Iraq, and the crossings dispute shows the war's economic pressure reaching a US partner that depends on Iran for trade and imports. Baghdad's answer — an oil lane agreed, a border closure resisted — is the balance Iraq is trying to hold between Washington and Tehran.
Background
Show the background timeline (4)
The war between the US, Israel and Iran begins; traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is severely disrupted.
Iraqi oil exports fall to about 2.65 million barrels a day.
Exports recover to about 3.5 million barrels a day; Iraq closes the Sheeb crossing with Iran for a security review.
Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein describes the Hormuz understandings and the US crossings request in an Al Jazeera interview.
Update history
No silent edits. Every change is written here, with its time.
- Latest
Published in Checking state — the statements are the minister's own words; the terms of the understandings and the outcome of the crossings talks are still to come.