A $55 billion project to bypass the Strait of Hormuz… and Iraq is at the heart of the plan.

Gulf states, including Iraq, are considering building an alternative oil pipeline network to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, at an estimated cost of $55 billion, amid escalating geopolitical risks, according to an analysis published by Reuters.

The analysis indicates that imposing fees on tanker transit, even at limited levels, could constitute a significant financial burden on oil producers, prompting them to seek long-term alternatives that reduce dependence on this vital corridor.

Iraq stands out as a pivotal element in the project, as the plan includes the construction of two pipelines extending from its south through Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, reaching ports on the Arabian Sea, such as the port of Duqm and the port of Salalah, which would allow the export of oil directly to Asian markets without passing through Hormuz.

Despite the project’s cost, the analysis suggests it may be economically viable, as it roughly equals the potential revenue over approximately 25 years, and it also gives countries in the region, including Iraq, greater flexibility in exporting oil and reduces risks associated with maritime routes.

The project is also expected to be jointly financed by the beneficiary countries, with the cost distributed according to the volume of use, while implementation may take several years, which means continued reliance on the Strait of Hormuz in the near term.

Shafaq.com

America becomes a “major exporter” of oil for the first time since World War II

Reuters reported on Thursday that America has become a “major exporter” of oil for the first time since World War I due to events in the Middle East and disruptions to crude supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.

Reuters reported that the United States almost became a net exporter of crude oil last week for the first time since World War II, as shipments jumped to near-record highs to meet demand from Asian and European buyers rushing to make up for Middle East supplies disrupted by the Iran war.

The war being waged by the United States and Israel against Iran has led to the biggest ever disruption in the global energy market, and Iranian threats to maritime navigation have blocked about one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies from passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

Asian and European refiners that had relied on supplies from the region scrambled to find alternative shipments from anywhere possible, leading to a sharp increase in demand for oil from the United States, the world’s largest producer.

Analysts and traders say the United States is rapidly approaching its maximum export capacity.

Net crude imports, or the difference between imports and exports, fell to 66,000 barrels per day last week, the lowest level recorded in weekly data going back to 2001, according to U.S. government data released Wednesday.

Exports rose to 5.2 million barrels per day, the highest level in seven months.

According to the data, the United States has not been a net exporter of crude oil since 1943, on an annual basis.

Countries such as Greece have purchased American crude oil for the first time ever in the past few months.

Kepler ship-tracking data shows a tanker carrying 500,000 barrels of crude oil is en route to Türkiye, marking the first U.S. export to that country in at least a year.

Meanwhile, imports to the United States fell by more than 1 million barrels per day to 5.3 million barrels per day last week. The United States still imports a significant amount of crude oil because its refineries are designed to process heavier crudes than the light sweet crude it produces.

Matt Smith, an analyst at Kpler, predicted that US exports would reach approximately 5.2 million barrels per day in April.

Traders and analysts say the United States could export up to six million barrels per day, citing limited pipeline capacity and tanker availability.

Shafaq.com

Pakistan confirms US and Iran are ready to hold talks

Pakistani Foreign Minister Tahir Andarabi announced on Thursday that the United States and Iran are ready to hold a round of talks in an attempt to reach an agreement to end the war, but he did not specify a date for this round.

Andrabi said there was no information on where the second round of US-Iranian talks would be held, but that his country would keep communication channels open between the US and Iran.

He noted that contacts are ongoing to ensure the continuation of talks between Washington and Tehran, stressing that America and Iran are ready to hold talks and efforts are continuing.

He stressed that Pakistan’s efforts to reach an agreement between Washington and Tehran have international support.

Andrabi noted that Lebanon remains part of the ceasefire in effect, and stressed that peace in Lebanon is essential for peace talks, explaining that the nuclear issue is among the issues being discussed.

Shafaq.com

Exclusive: Maliki and Sudani resort to the 8/12 formula to resolve the prime ministerial candidate crisis

A source within the coordination framework revealed on Thursday the nature of the initial understandings reached regarding the selection of the next Prime Minister, indicating that the candidate who obtains two-thirds of the votes of the framework’s leaders wins the position, which requires time to finalize this initial agreement.

This comes against the backdrop of what the leaders of the coordination framework reached on Wednesday evening, as understandings between them regarding the leadership of the government led to the postponement of a crucial meeting until next Saturday.

A source close to the framework told Shafaq News Agency on Wednesday that “the leaders of the framework agreed to postpone the meeting that was supposed to be held this evening (Wednesday night) until Saturday, after reaching important understandings.”

He added that “the new understandings require more time to resolve the issue of the prime ministership.”

Returning to the nature of these understandings revealed by the source today, he explained to Shafaq News Agency that ” the initial understandings between the most prominent candidates of the framework, the leader of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, and the caretaker Prime Minister, Muhammad Shia al-Sudani, which led to the postponement of yesterday’s meeting, stipulate that whoever obtains the support of 8 out of 12 leaders of the Shiite House will proceed unanimously after the rest join the two-thirds automatically, and thus obtains the position of Prime Minister.”

He explained that “these understandings require more time to mature in a way that preserves the entitlements of all forces,” noting that “there are forces that have declared their neutrality, namely the Design Alliance, the Victory Coalition, and the Virtue Party, and they will join whoever will guarantee them the gains they aspire to.”

The source indicated that “the meetings between the Shiite forces are ongoing and may change the roadmap for the government palace before Saturday’s meeting, otherwise the disputes over the government formation file will continue amid push and pull,” stressing at the same time that “whatever results of the Iran-America negotiations will lead to will inevitably have an impact on resolving the matter.”

On Wednesday evening, the coordinating framework decided to postpone its meeting scheduled for that night until next Saturday, after reaching “important” understandings regarding the leadership of the government.

This comes against the backdrop of a division within the coordination framework that split it into three wings due to disagreements over the candidate for the next prime minister, according to what a well-informed political source revealed earlier on Wednesday.

The political source told Shafaq News Agency on Wednesday that “the disagreements within the framework are no longer limited to differing viewpoints, but have developed into an actual split within the alliance into three main wings, which has cast a shadow over today’s meeting scheduled to be held at Humam Hamoudi’s house, with growing doubts about the possibility of postponing it to another date.”

He explained that “the first faction insists on nominating the leader of the State of Law Coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, or any figure who enjoys his explicit support from among the proposed names, while a second faction is pushing for the renaming of the caretaker Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, while the third faction prefers to go for a compromise candidate who can gain wider acceptance within and outside the Shiite community.”

Shafaq.com

In numbers… Iraq is among the most stable Arab countries in terms of inflation rate in 2026

The International Monetary Fund’s 2026 forecast, released on Thursday, revealed a clear divergence in inflation rates among Arab countries, with Iraq maintaining a moderate level of around 3%, placing it among the most relatively stable countries in the region.

A report issued by the International Monetary Fund indicated that Sudan topped the list by a wide margin, with very high inflation reaching 74.1%, followed by Egypt at 13.2%, and Tunisia at 6.5%, in an indication of the continued economic pressures in these countries.

In contrast, Mauritania came in at 4.1%, Qatar at 3.9%, while Iraq came in a middle position, reflecting a relative balance in price movements.

The rest of the Arab countries recorded low rates, including Algeria (2.9%), Kuwait (2.8%), the UAE (2.5%), and Bahrain (2.4%), in addition to Saudi Arabia and Jordan (2.3%).

Oman recorded a rate of 1.7%, while Morocco had the lowest Arab inflation rate at 1.3%.

The figures reflect a clear gap between Arab countries, as some of them suffer from high inflation that puts pressure on living standards, while other countries – including Iraq – maintain relative stability, which enhances the chances of economic balance during the next stage.

Shafaq.com

Washington expands blockade on Iranian ships to include weapons and ammunition

Reuters reported on Thursday that the US military has expanded its embargo on Iranian shipments to include smuggled materials such as weapons and ammunition.

The agency stated that “the US Navy is now subjecting ships suspected of transporting smuggled materials linked to Iran to inspections and detentions, regardless of their geographical location.”

She added that “the list of materials subject to inspection is not limited to weapons, but also includes oil and refined products, as well as iron, steel and aluminum.”

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced last Monday that it had begun implementing a ban on maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports.

In contrast, Iran strongly rejected this move, with Mohsen Rezaei, the Supreme Leader’s military advisor, asserting that his country “will not allow” the imposition of the blockade, noting that it possesses “great untapped capabilities” to counter it.

The Revolutionary Guard also warned that “any military approach to the strait will be considered a violation of the ceasefire,” raising the likelihood of direct clashes in one of the world’s most sensitive waterways.

Shafaq.com

Axios: Washington and Tehran negotiators close to a deal to end the war

The American news website Axios reported on Wednesday that American and Iranian negotiators came close to reaching a framework agreement to end the war during the first round of talks, amid attempts by both sides to bridge the remaining gaps and reach an agreement in the second round before the end of the ceasefire on April 21, the deadline previously announced by US President Donald Trump.

But at the same time, the website warned, citing US officials and sources familiar with the mediation, that reaching an agreement is not guaranteed, given the fundamental differences between the two sides. This comes as a Pakistani delegation, headed by Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, arrived in Tehran on Wednesday to hold talks with Iranian officials.

The website quoted a US official as saying that President Trump’s negotiating team – Vice President Vance, White House envoy Steve Witkopf, and senior adviser Jared Kushner – continued making calls and exchanging draft proposals with the Iranians and mediators – Pakistanis, Egyptians, and Turks – on Tuesday, and are getting closer to reaching an agreement.

US officials and sources familiar with the mediation confirmed that a new round of direct, face-to-face talks is likely to be held in the coming days before the ceasefire expires, but no date has been set. If a framework agreement is reached, the ceasefire will have to be extended to negotiate the details of a comprehensive agreement.

Shafaq.com

Al-Saadawi: The decision regarding the premiership rests on two names…no alternatives have been proposed.

Member of the Reconstruction and Development Committee, Abdul Hadi al-Saadawi, revealed on Wednesday that the competition for the premiership has narrowed down to only two names, ruling out the possibility of any “compromise candidates” at this stage.

. Al-Saadawi told Al-Maalouma, “Talk of proposing alternative names or new candidates for the position of the next prime minister is baseless,” explaining that “the political circles have not yet witnessed the emergence of any name as a compromise candidate.”
He added that “the competition remains fierce and is limited to Nouri al-Maliki, head of the State of Law Coalition, and the current caretaker Prime Minister, Mohammed Shia al-Sudani,” noting that “understandings within the political blocs are still focused on these two options without resorting to third options at present.”
The political arena is witnessing continuous activity to resolve the issue of the largest bloc and the selection of the new prime minister amidst differing viewpoints among the influential forces.

Almaalomah.me

The moment of truth is approaching… Conflicting visions within the framework threaten to derail the government’s plans.

The corridors of the Coordination Framework continue to witness intense political activity, accompanied by clear conflicting positions and visions. This has become the “most difficult obstacle” preventing the final announcement of the candidate for the new prime minister.
Despite optimistic statements from some leaders about an imminent resolution, behind-the-scenes indications point to differing viewpoints regarding the selection mechanism and the required qualifications for the next phase. This comes amidst constitutional time constraints that compel the Coordination Framework forces to expedite internal restructuring.

The Coordination Framework is currently undergoing a difficult process of choosing between several options on the table. Partisan interests intersect with the desire to present a figure who enjoys national and popular acceptance. This has made the final consensus a complex process that goes beyond simply selecting a name. It involves charting a roadmap for the upcoming political phase, which cannot tolerate further deadlock. There is widespread anticipation regarding the outcome of the meetings in the coming hours, which will determine the political direction of the country.

Ali al-Fatlawi, a leader in the Reconstruction and Development Bloc, predicted that the Coordination Framework would reach a final agreement on the next prime minister during its meetings today or tomorrow. He also confirmed that there were no discussions regarding the revival of the vice-presidential positions.

Al-Fatlawi told Al-Maalouma News Agency that “the leaders of the Coordination Framework have a serious desire and determination to finalize the selection of the largest bloc’s candidate within the specified constitutional timeframes and deadlines, avoiding any procrastination.”

He added that “the Framework has several options and political paths that will be weighed to arrive at the most suitable candidate for the current stage,” indicating that “the atmosphere within the meetings is positive and moving towards a solution.”
However, Sheikh Haider al-Lami, a leader in the State of Law Coalition, held the opposite view, telling Al-Maalouma News Agency that the meeting scheduled for Wednesday evening would not produce a final result for several reasons, suggesting that “the Framework will be unable to resolve the issue of nominating the largest bloc’s candidate within the specified constitutional timeframe.”

Al-Lami denied that the head of the coalition, Nouri al-Maliki, had withdrawn his candidacy for the position of the next prime minister in favor of Basim al-Badri, stating that “what some media outlets reported, citing a political source, about al-Maliki withdrawing his candidacy for the position of prime minister is completely untrue.”

Almaalomah.me

The IMF predicts Iraq’s economy will contract by 6.8% due to shipping risks and rising inflation.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted on Wednesday that the Iraqi economy will experience a significant contraction during 2026, amid escalating repercussions of the conflict in the Middle East and continued pressure on global energy markets, placing the country among the most affected by the current crisis.

According to the IMF’s estimates, Iraq’s GDP is likely to decline by as much as 6.8% next year, as a result of the disruptions affecting the oil sector, which is the backbone of the Iraqi economy and the state’s main source of revenue.

This decline comes at a time when the region is experiencing instability, especially with the continuation of tensions that have directly affected navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil shipping lanes, leading to disruption of export operations and increased shipping and insurance costs for oil tankers.

The rise in oil prices to record levels may not be entirely positive for Iraq, as it is accompanied by a rise in import costs and inflationary pressures, which is reflected in the prices of goods and services within the country and increases the living burdens on citizens.

In the same context, the Fund warned that a longer conflict could push oil prices above $110 a barrel, which would make controlling inflation more difficult and lead to tighter monetary policies globally, negatively impacting developing economies, including Iraq.

According to the IMF data, the effects will not be limited to Iraq alone, as the GDP of a number of countries in the region is expected to decline, including Qatar by 8.6%, Iran by 6.1%, Kuwait by 0.6%, and Bahrain by 0.5%, due to the repercussions of the conflict and rising energy costs.

If these conditions persist, Iraq may face a double pressure of fluctuating oil revenues on the one hand, and increased government spending to address the repercussions of the crisis on the other, which may affect the country’s financial and economic stability.

Shafaq.com