Iraqi security forces and residents gather at the site where a missile struck a rural village in the Siyahi region, near the city of Hilla, in the central province of Babil, on March 15, 2026. (Credit: Karar Jabbar/AFP)
The fact that Iran has shut down the Strait of Hormuz continues to shock regional energy markets and trade routes. While much attention has focused on the impact of such a closure on the Gulf states, Iraq could be one of the hardest hit. With exports from its southern terminals nearly halted, Baghdad can no longer transport its oil through its main maritime route. In the country’s north, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which has been repeatedly targeted by Iranian strikes, could theoretically provide an outlet via its pipeline to Turkey. For now, however, Erbil refuses to open this option.A dispute that endures even in wartimeThe long-standing dispute between Baghdad and Erbil over oil management and revenue sharing has resurfaced at a moment when cooperation seemed most urgent. Oil accounts for roughly 90 percent of Iraq’s...
The fact that Iran has shut down the Strait of Hormuz continues to shock regional energy markets and trade routes. While much attention has focused on the impact of such a closure on the Gulf states, Iraq could be one of the hardest hit. With exports from its southern terminals nearly halted, Baghdad can no longer transport its oil through its main maritime route. In the country’s north, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), which has been repeatedly targeted by Iranian strikes, could theoretically provide an outlet via its pipeline to Turkey. For now, however, Erbil refuses to open this option.A dispute that endures even in wartimeThe long-standing dispute between Baghdad and Erbil over oil management and revenue sharing has resurfaced at a moment when cooperation seemed most urgent. Oil accounts for roughly 90 percent of...
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