The near-standstill of shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, triggered by the outbreak of war in the Middle East, has led to a significant reduction in Iraq's crude oil exports.
On July 28, Iraq's Ministry of Oil issued a statement indicating that the country exported a total of approximately 32.11 million barrels of crude oil in May and June. The average monthly export volume was far below the levels seen before the Middle East conflict erupted.
Statistical data shows that in May and June, Iraq exported approximately 20.24 million barrels of crude oil through the southern port of Basra, about 10.31 million barrels through the northern Kirkuk region, and roughly 1.56 million barrels through the northern semi-autonomous Kurdistan region. In contrast, in February of this year, Iraq's crude oil export volume was approximately 99.87 million barrels.