Iraq-Oil/Hormuz Strait
Iraq-Oil/Hormuz Strait
Dateline : Recent/File
Location : Iraq
Duration : 1'42
FILE: Strait of Hormuz - Date Unknown (NNC - No access Chinese mainland/Al-Arabiya/Persian language TV Stations outside Iran. Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International/Radio Farda)
1. Various of ships sailing in Strait of Hormuz
FILE: Strait of Hormuz - 2011 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland/Al-Arabiya/Persian language TV Stations outside Iran. Strictly No Access BBC Persian/VOA Persian/Manoto TV/Iran International/Radio Farda)
2. Boats sailing through Strait of Hormuz
3. Beach, seaside plants
Iraq – Recent (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Abdelrahman El Mechedani, Iraqi economic expert:
"Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have had a significant impact on Iraq, arguably the most affected oil-exporting country in the region. According to recent estimates, production has dropped by around 75 percent and exports by approximately 85 percent."
FILE: Kurdistan Region, Iraq - July 2016 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
5. Various of oil refinery
Iraq – Recent (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Ahmed El Ansari, Iraqi economic researcher:
"The Iraqi government is now focusing on optimizing and encouraging other sectors, such as agriculture and industry, in order to ensure the country's food security. It is also seeking agreements with companies for the rehabilitation of the Baniyas port in Syria, and negotiating deals with Saudi Arabia regarding the transit of Iraqi oil through the port of Yanbu."
Baghdad, Iraq - March 19, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
7. Various of traffic
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has severely hit Iraq's oil sector, as the government seeks to diversify shipping routes in an effort to limit the damage, according to Iraqi economic experts.
Iraq's economy relies heavily on crude oil exports, which account for about 90 percent of the country's revenues.
Typically, Iraq exported around 100 million barrels of crude oil monthly. However, this volume has been severely reduced since the outbreak of the Mideast conflict on Feb. 28, which subsequently led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor for global energy supplies.
Ports have slowed operations, while cargoes have piled up without being able to reach international markets.
"Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz have had a significant impact on Iraq, arguably the most affected oil-exporting country in the region. According to recent estimates, production has dropped by around 75 percent and exports by approximately 85 percent," said Abdelrahman El Mechedani, an Iraqi economic expert.
He added that Iraq previously exported 3.4 million barrels per day, but now ships only around 250,000 barrels per day via Turkey's Ceyhan port and roughly 100,000 barrels of heavy crude to Syria. This represents a sharp decline in revenue, with losses estimated at around 5 billion U.S. dollars per month.
The expert also pointed out that, at the time of his remarks, even if the Strait of Hormuz were reopened, Iraq would still need three to six months to restore pre-conflict production levels. The main reason is that foreign oil companies operating in Iraq have withdrawn staff and left the country due to the conflict, while oil fields require considerable time to resume full operations.
In response to the crisis, the Iraqi government has stepped up efforts to limit losses. Measures under consideration include diversifying export routes, holding talks with regional partners, and tapping financial reserves.
"The Iraqi government is now focusing on optimizing and encouraging other sectors, such as agriculture and industry, in order to ensure the country's food security. It is also seeking agreements with companies for the rehabilitation of the Baniyas port in Syria, and negotiating deals with Saudi Arabia regarding the transit of Iraqi oil through the port of Yanbu," said Ahmed El Ansari, an Iraqi economic researcher.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that, in line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is declared "completely open" for the remainder of the ceasefire period.
Later the same day, U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the reopening in a social media post, while adding that the U.S. naval blockade on Iran would remain in force until negotiations were "100 percent complete."
ID : 8475265
Published : 2026-04-18 15:38
Last Modified : 2026-04-18 15:42:36
Source : China Central Television (CCTV),China Global Television Network (CGTN)
Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland
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