Iraqi Oil Exports and the Strait of Hormuz Crisis.

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The current crisis surrounding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz stands out as one of the most serious crises stemming from the conflict between Israel and Iran. This crisis is considered one of the most dangerous economic crises facing the Arabian Gulf region in general, and Iraq in particular. While other oil-producing countries in this region have resumed crude oil exports through this international waterway at varying rates, Iraqi oil exports have completely ceased. This is due to Iraq's strong involvement in the war and its reliance on previously existing export routes, such as the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline on the Turkish Mediterranean coast. Turkey has opted to remain inactive since the previous year, and the Kirkuk-Banias pipeline in Syria has been completely neglected, despite the fact that previous years would have allowed for its operation under the former Syrian regime, given Iraq's close relationship with that regime. As for the Yanbu port on the Red Sea via Saudi Arabia, only the Saudi authorities have benefited from its control and dismantled it under various pretexts. Part of the compensation allocated to Iraq for the Gulf War was not used, and no communication was established with the Kingdom to rebuild this second vital artery of the Iraqi economy, unlike other export routes. The current crisis surrounding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz stands out as one of the most serious crises stemming from the conflict between Israel and Iran. This crisis is considered one of the most dangerous economic crises facing the Arabian Gulf region in general, and Iraq in particular. While other oil-producing countries in this region have resumed crude oil exports through this international waterway at varying rates, Iraqi oil exports have completely ceased. This is due to Iraq's strong involvement in the war and its reliance on previously existing export routes, such as the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline on the Turkish Mediterranean coast. Turkey has opted to remain inactive since the previous year, and the Kirkuk-Banias pipeline in Syria has been completely neglected, despite the fact that previous years would have allowed for its operation under the former Syrian regime, given Iraq's close relationship with that regime. As for the Yanbu port on the Red Sea via Saudi Arabia, only the Saudi authorities have benefited from its control and dismantled it under various pretexts. Part of the compensation allocated to Iraq for the Gulf War was not used, and no communication was established with the Kingdom to rebuild this second vital artery of the Iraqi economy, unlike other export routes. After resorting to limited borrowing, Iraq is facing the complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz, as it lacks any major outlet to compensate for external damage. Other attempts include exploring public shareholdings through Syria and Jordan, and trying the Turkish pipeline, though the process is not expected to be lengthy. However, all these efforts have only allowed Iraq to export less than 20% of its financial and economic share, leaving it facing a financial and economic crisis. This necessitates securing long-term financing and minor discounts to mitigate the crisis. Furthermore, it requires working to regain control with the Turkish side for decades regarding the flow of Iraqi oil through the Mediterranean, even though most importers are from Southeast Asian countries. Iraq could also rebuild the Banias pipeline on the Syrian border. Meanwhile, the Iraqi-Saudi pipeline, being the most vital, would be central to the export region, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz via the sea, similar to how Oman and the UAE export their oil via the Arabian Sea.