Iraq halts oil port operations after tanker attacks in Persian Gulf

Oil terminals in Iraq have suspended operations following attacks on two oil tankers in the Persian Gulf that left one crew member dead and forced the rescue of dozens of sailors.

According to CNN, the shutdown came after Iran attacked the vessels, which later caught fire.

The director general of the Iraqi Ports Company said on Thursday, March 12, that all oil terminals in Iraq have halted operations, although commercial ports continue to function normally.

One crew member was killed, and 38 others were rescued from the burning tankers after they were reportedly struck by an Iranian underwater drone.

The victim was an Indian national who died in the attack on the Safesea Vishnu oil tanker, according to the Embassy of India in Baghdad.

“The remaining 15 crew members from India have been evacuated to a safe place,” the embassy said in a statement posted on X, adding that it remains in regular contact with Iraqi authorities.

The tanker attacks come amid rising tensions in the Gulf. Since last Wednesday, six vessels have been targeted in the Persian Gulf, while the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz is increasingly becoming a focal point of military activity involving Iran.

The State Organisation for Marketing of Oil (SOMO) warned that the incident “will negatively affect Iraq’s security and economy.”

By Tamilla Hasanova