Overview
- Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya command said Iraqi-flagged vessels are exempt from its Strait of Hormuz restrictions, with controls targeting only what it called enemy countries.
- Tehran framed the decision as respect for Iraq’s sovereignty and praised Iraq’s stance toward the United States.
- After President Donald Trump warned of severe consequences unless Iran yielded control of the waterway, Iran’s military command rejected the demand as a helpless and stupid threat.
- Ship-tracking data reported 53 transits through the strait last week, up from 36 the week before, yet traffic remains more than 90 percent below normal levels.
- The near-blockade has disrupted energy supplies, with Brent crude holding above $109 a barrel and Iraq’s oil output dropping to about 1.2 million barrels a day from 4.3 million, prompting conservation measures in several countries.