TEHRAN/BAGHDAD — Iran has announced that Iraq will be exempt from all transit restrictions through the Strait of Hormuz, offering preferential treatment to its neighbor as Tehran tightens control over the strategic waterway amid the ongoing war with the United States and Israel .
Iranian military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters stated Saturday that Iraq is “completely excluded from any transit restrictions imposed by Tehran in the Strait of Hormuz,” noting that limitations only apply to “enemy countries” . The move could ease pressure on Iraq’s economy, which relies on oil revenues for approximately 90% of its budget, with most exports passing through the narrow waterway at the mouth of the Gulf .
The exemption comes as Iran has effectively shut down the strait—through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil normally passes—in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes that began February 28 . Meanwhile, President Donald Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum Saturday, warning Iran to reopen the strait or reach an agreement, threatening “all Hell will reign down on them” .
🇮🇶 Tens of Thousands Rally Across Iraq
Simultaneously, tens of thousands of Iraqis gathered in Baghdad’s Tahrir Square and across cities including Basra, Kirkuk, and Mosul to protest the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran . Demonstrators, many responding to a call from Shiite leader Moqtada al-Sadr, waved Iraqi flags and chanted slogans against the United States and Israel, demanding an immediate halt to the strikes .
“What America and Israel are doing in their aggression against the countries of the region is not a war of a military nature, but a senseless war,” protester Dhirgham Samir told AFP from Baghdad’s Tahrir Square . “This is a senseless war, targeting civilians.”
Protesters also condemned US-Israeli attacks across the region, including in Palestine, Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq itself, where airstrikes have repeatedly targeted bases of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) . Iraqi health authorities claim at least 108 people have been killed since the crisis began, including civilians, PMF members, and security personnel .
Iran Praises Iraqi Solidarity
Zolfaghari lauded Iraqi citizens and PMF fighters for their solidarity with Iran, highlighting their “high-impact and revolutionary reaction” to attacks and their support for Tehran during the ongoing crisis . Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has also expressed appreciation for Iraqis’ support of Iran amid the conflict .
The demonstrations come as the Iraqi government struggles to keep the country out of the regional conflict, caught between its close ties to both Washington and Tehran . Many Iraqis, a majority of whom are Shia Muslims, have also launched a nationwide donation drive to support people in Iran, following a call by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani for humanitarian assistance .
The Shalamcheh border crossing between the two nations was temporarily closed Saturday after airstrikes on the Iranian side killed an Iraqi citizen, though passenger traffic has since resumed .
