Overview
- Iran’s military said Saturday that Iraqi-flagged ships face no Strait of Hormuz restrictions, describing the channel as closed only to “enemy countries.”
- The exemption could unlock as much as about 3 million barrels a day of Iraqi crude exports, though shippers warn that insurance, tanker supply and on-the-ground execution will determine any real rebound.
- Oman and Iran met at deputy foreign minister level on Saturday to explore ways to keep vessels moving, as Tehran drafts a navigation protocol with Muscat to manage transit.
- Traffic has edged up, with 53 strait transits last week versus 36 the week before, including France-, Japan- and India-linked ships, yet flows remain more than 90 percent below normal.
- Twenty-six Korea-operated vessels are still waiting near the strait, and owners cite daily losses near $93,000 per ship as Seoul sticks to a coordinated, multilateral approach rather than one-off deals.