Long queues resurfaced at fuel stations across Baghdad on Saturday as gasoline supplies dwindled in Iraq amid disruptions to fuel imports linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
According to a report by AFP, motorists were seen waiting for hours at mainly government-operated filling stations in Baghdad and other provinces, with residents saying shortages have become increasingly frequent in recent weeks as regional hostilities continue.
The situation has sparked frustration in a country that ranks among the world’s major oil producers but still relies on imports of refined petroleum products because its domestic refineries are unable to produce enough gasoline to satisfy local demand.
Baghdad resident Ibrahim Hashem said he spent two hours waiting at a filling station on Friday but was unable to buy fuel. He returned early Saturday in another attempt to fill his vehicle.
“It is unreasonable that we produce so many barrels of oil a day, yet still do not have enough gasoline to meet our daily needs,” Hashem told AFP at a fuel station in central Baghdad.
He said the shortage was compounding the city’s already severe traffic problems.
“We already suffer from traffic congestion because of the roads and lack of services. Now, it has become worse due to the gasoline shortage,” he added.
According to Iraqi authorities, the country consumes an average of about 33 million litres of gasoline daily. However, consumption can climb to around 38 million litres when motorists panic-buy fuel amid fears of shortages.
The oil ministry on Friday attributed the supply disruptions to the wider regional conflict, saying ongoing hostilities were creating logistical difficulties for tanker movements and delaying shipments bound for Iraqi ports.
The ministry appealed to motorists to purchase only the amount of gasoline they require and avoid overcrowding fuel stations to buy small quantities.
Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair said the government was working to resolve what he described as a “temporary shortage of gasoline”, adding that new shipments were expected to arrive soon and help restore stable supplies.
The latest disruption comes as Iraq continues to feel the economic impact of the conflict between the United States and Iran, which has severely affected shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
Iraq is particularly vulnerable to disruptions in the region because its economy is heavily dependent on crude oil exports. Oil revenues account for about 90 per cent of the government’s budget income.
Before the conflict erupted in February, Iraq was producing roughly four million barrels of crude oil per day and exporting an average of 3.4 million barrels daily, with most of its exports passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
However, Iraqi crude exports suffered a sharp decline following the disruption to shipping routes. The country’s oil ministry said exports had recovered to more than 2.2 million barrels per day in August.
The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil shipping route, has become a major flashpoint in the conflict, with disruptions to tanker traffic threatening supplies and raising concerns over energy security across the region.
Last month, Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that Tehran had authorised several Iraqi oil tankers to transit the Strait of Hormuz over the preceding six months.
Despite its vast crude reserves and status as OPEC’s second-largest oil producer, Iraq’s dependence on imported refined products leaves its domestic fuel market exposed to disruptions in regional shipping and international supply chains.
