Baghdad: Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi affirmed that Iraq is among the countries most affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. During his chairmanship of the expanded meeting of the Ministry of Oil, al-Zaidi stated that Iraq cannot remain dependent on a single export route for its oil, indicating that some officials feign idealism to evade responsibility.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the Prime Minister added that every barrel of oil that goes unsold represents a delay in salaries or public services, or a loss to the state treasury. He emphasized that a significant portion of the state’s obligations are with the Ministry of Oil.