Iraq exported more than 30 million barrels of crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz in a single month, according to monitoring data cited by AFP.
The figure highlights the rapid normalization of shipping traffic in the critical chokepoint following periods of heightened regional tension.
This acceleration reflects the clearing of previously stranded crude, with roughly 14 million barrels moving through the strait over a recent ten-day period.
Over 20 million of those barrels originated from Iraq’s southern port of Basra, with the remainder moving through other export routes.
The surge in throughput follows a sharp recovery in Iraqi exports from Basra, which averaged approximately 870,000 barrels per day in June — tripling the volume recorded in May. This acceleration reflects the clearing of previously stranded crude, with roughly 14 million barrels moving through the strait over a recent ten-day period. The data confirms that commercial shipping operations have largely resumed despite earlier geopolitical risks.
The export figures arrive as oil prices have softened, dropping to three-week lows amid hopes for a US-Iran deal that would further stabilize the Strait of Hormuz outlook. Markets have reacted positively to the de-escalation, with Gulf equities rising as regional risk premiums temper. The normalization of Iraqi flows reduces the immediate supply disruption risk that had previously driven volatility in energy markets.
Traders will continue to monitor the Strait of Hormuz for any signs of renewed disruption, particularly as diplomatic negotiations progress.