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DUBAI, March 17 (Reuters) - Iraq's oil minister said Baghdad is talking to Iran about allowing some of the country's oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, the state news agency reported on Tuesday, as Iraq seeks to ease disruptions to crude exports following recent attacks on tankers in its own waters. Iraq is also working to restore a disused pipeline that would allow oil to be pumped directly to Turkey's Ceyhan port without passing through the Kurdistan region, Oil Minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani said in a video statement released on Monday.

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Bloomberg: Iran allows Turkish and Indian ships to pass through Hormuz Countries including Turkey and India have received specific approval from Tehran for vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, according to officials cited by Bloomberg, as Iran selectively allows limited transit amid the conflict. A Pakistan-bound oil tanker, the Karachi, was among the first to pass through the strait in recent days, marking one of the few successful crossings since war disrupted shipping. Meanwhile, the Iraqi oil minister said that Baghdad has an understanding with Tehran to allow its oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera reported.  Satellite image shows damage at the military harbour in Iran's Bandar Abbas port along the Strait of Hormuz on 4 March 2026. 2026 Planet Labs PBC / AFP

Iraq warns of legal action if Kurdistan blocks oil exports Iraq warned it may pursue legal action if authorities in the Kurdistan region block crude exports through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, the oil ministry said on Tuesday. The ministry added that resuming flows through the pipeline could help mitigate the impact of any potential disruption to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. People walk near farmland by the Zubair oil field as gas flares rise in the distance, in Zubair Mishrif, Basra, Iraq, amid regional tensions following the recent disruption to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and the US-Israeli war with Iran, 9 March, 2026. (Reuters/Essam al-Sudani)

US allies rebuff Trump's request for aid in reopening Strait of Hormuz  AZ Family

In today’s newsletter: As drones and missiles hit Dubai, Doha and other sites across the Gulf, Hannah Ellis Peterson explains what happens next for the region Morning everyone, I’m Patrick Greenfield – you may recognise the name from my environment reporting over the years (or perhaps you read my piece about the possible rebirth of a long-extinct 12ft bird). I’ll be joining you on First Edition for the next few months, where I will inevitably be turning my attention to some rather more worrisome news than the Jurassic Park-adjacent ambitions of a US startup. On that note: no Gulf state wanted war with Iran. But, as fighting in the Middle East enters its third week, the region finds itself on the frontline of an increasingly intractable conflict. After the US-Israeli attack on Iran in late February, drones and missiles have showered the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia – bringing the region’s oil and gas industries to a near standstill, and prompting an exodus of tourists and expats. UK news | Keir Starmer has said the UK will not be drawn into the wider war in the Middle East, after Donald Trump called for allies to send warships to the strait of Hormuz to help unblock global oil supplies from the region. Starmer also announced that households reliant on heating oil to warm their homes would receive £53m of government support to help with their bills. Health | A sixth-form student at Queen Elizabeth’s grammar school in Faversham has been confirmed as the second person to have died after an outbreak of meningitis in Kent. Environment | Realtime pollution alerts are urgently needed across Windermere, campaigners have said, as the mother of a seven-year-old boy who kayaked on the lake described how he nearly died after contracting a dangerous strain of E coli from contaminated water. Media | The BBC has asked a US court to throw out Donald Trump’s $10bn (£7.5bn) lawsuit over the way a documentary edited one of his speeches, warning that proceeding with the case would have a “chilling effect” on its reporting on the president. Energy | Belgium’s prime minister, Bart De Wever, has been criticised for calling for the normalisation of relations with Russia to re-establish cheap energy supplies. Continue reading...

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The Strait of Hormuz: Global Economic Shock and the Limits of Military Power  الجزيرة نت

Why The Strait Of Hormuz Is Such A Pivotal Waterway  AOL.com

IMO chief says naval escorts will not guarantee safe passage through Strait of Hormuz, FT reports The head of the International Maritime Organisation has said that naval escorts through the Strait of Hormuz will not "100 percent guarantee" the safety of ships attempting to transit the waterway, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday. Military assistance was "not a long-term or sustainable solution" to opening up the strait, Arsenio Dominguez told FT. Boats manoeuvre around a tanker during a military exercise in the Strait of Hormuz by members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, on 17 February 2026 (Sepah News/AFP)

Thailand talking to Russia over oil supply during Hormuz crises Thailand is discussing with Russia the possibility of purchasing crude oil as supplies tighten amid the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran, the country’s foreign minister said. Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said Moscow had expressed readiness to sell oil, adding the government is seeking alternative sources to secure energy supplies. He said Thailand has reserves for 95 to 100 days but warned of uncertainty over long-term flows. Thailand’s transport minister said authorities would try to cap domestic diesel prices at 33 baht ($1.02) per litre as fuel costs rise, according to Reuters.

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By Alexander Cornwell and Jonathan Landay March 17 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump accused some Western allies of ingratitude after several countries rebuffed his demand to send warships to escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran continued to target oil facilities in the Gulf. The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is in its third week with no end in sight. The critical Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas flow, remains largely closed off, raising energy prices and fears of inflation.

This blog is closed Continued from previous post: Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has said she has no immediate plans to send her country’s maritime self-defence forces to help protect tanker traffic in the strait of Homuz. We have not made any decisions whatsoever about dispatching escort ships. We are continuing to examine what Japan can do independently and what can be done ⁠within the legal framework. I would like to ⁠engage in solid discussions based on Japan’s views and position regarding the need for early de-escalation. Continue reading...

Fire erupts at UAE's Fujairah oil zone after drone strike A fire broke out at the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone in the United Arab Emirates after the site was targeted by drones, according to the Fujairah government’s media office. Officials said there were no casualties from the attack and emergency crews responded to the scene to contain the blaze at the facility, located about 150 kilometres east of Dubai.

March 17 (Reuters) - Air traffic in the United Arab Emirates returned to normal after temporary precautionary measures were lifted, state news agency WAM reported on Tuesday, citing the country's General Civil Aviation Authority. Earlier on Tuesday, the authority announced a temporary closure of the country's airspace amid rapidly evolving regional security developments, after the defence ministry said it was responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran. (Reporting by Enas Alashray; Editing by Tom Hogue)

Here are the latest economic events in the Middle East war on Monday: - Stocks rise as oil prices cool - Global markets mostly rose as oil prices pulled back, with investors focused on the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf waterway through which a fifth of global crude oil passes, where traffic has been severely disrupted by the war. International benchmark Brent North Sea crude dropped 2.8 percent to $100.21, while the main US contract West Texas Intermediate fell 5.3 percent to $93.50. - Drone strike sparks UAE oil field fire -

Operations suspended at UAE’s Shah gas field after drone attack Authorities in Abu Dhabi suspended operations at the Shah gas field after a drone attack ignited a fire at the major energy facility, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said. The fire was later contained and no injuries were reported, the state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company said.  The Shah gas field, about 180 kilometres southwest of Abu Dhabi, is among the world’s largest and can produce about 1.28 billion cubic feet of gas per day.

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Experts say pressure could grow if disruption to the vital energy route continues.