Iraq’s Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Khudair said the country exported 10 million barrels of oil via the Strait of Hormuz in April. He said the decline reflects severe disruption caused by regional conflict affecting the strategic waterway. The situation has significantly impacted global energy supply chains.
Khudair said Iraq previously exported about 93 million barrels per month through the Strait of Hormuz. However, he noted that exports fell sharply due to war-related restrictions and instability. Moreover, he warned that the conflict has severely crippled southern export routes.
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The minister said Iraq’s oil exports dropped by more than 80 percent during the height of the crisis. Revenue also declined significantly, falling to around $2 billion in March compared to $6 billion earlier. Consequently, the energy sector has faced major financial pressure.
He added that around 200,000 barrels per day from Kirkuk are now being exported via Turkey. Iraq has reached an agreement with Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region to use pipelines to Turkey’s Ceyhan port. Furthermore, plans are underway to increase this capacity to 500,000 barrels per day.
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Khudair said Iraq has strong potential to expand production once conditions stabilize and the Strait reopens. He added that the government aims to strengthen oil output across provinces. Analysts say continued instability in the Strait of Hormuz remains a major risk for global energy markets.