Iraq
Iraqi oil tankers depart Iraq for Syria through al-Waleed border crossing on March 31, 2026. Photo: Iraq's General Authority of Customs
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq is exporting between 500 and 700 oil tankers per day through Syria via a newly opened border crossing in the western Anbar province, a local official confirmed to Rudaw on Monday, as Baghdad seeks alternative routes amid ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Emad Masha’al, district manager of Anbar’s al-Rutba, said “the exports are ongoing through the al-Waleed border crossing in Rutba” - known as al-Tanf on the Syrian side. He noted that “between 500 and 700 tankers, each with a capacity of 30 tons, are being dispatched daily.”
Late last month, Iraq officially began exporting oil via the key border crossing after it was inaugurated following an 11-year closure dating back to the onset of the Syrian civil war.
The reopening of al-Waleed has been crucial in enabling Iraqi oil exports through Syria’s Mediterranean port of Baniyas, where shipments are stored. It comes as traditional export routes remain disrupted by the six-week war between Iran, Israel, and the United States that began in late February, and ongoing tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.
Consequently, Iraq’s oil sector has seen an over 80 percent decline in exports, with the oil ministry reporting that shipments in March fell to 18.6 million barrels per day (bpd), generating about $1.96 billion in revenue, compared to more than 99 million barrels and $6.81 billion in the previous month.
Rutba District Manager, Masha’al, told Rudaw that the al-Waleed-al-Tanf crossing could well handle more than 1,000 trucks per day in the near future, though current volumes remain lower due to administrative delays.
He added that “work is underway” on the Syrian side to boost capacity, including installing additional pumps at Baniyas port to speed up unloading and storage, which currently handles around 300 tankers per day.
Prior to the Iran war, Iraq exported around 3.4 million bpd of oil. With southern routes still largely disrupted, the country is relying only on the northern corridor through Turkey and now Syria to sustain its oil exports.
Hastyar Qadir contributed to this report from Erbil, Kurdistan Region.
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