Baghdad, March 12 (SANA) Iraq’s Oil Ministry said Thursday that international maritime shipping lanes and energy supply routes must remain protected from regional conflicts, warning that disruptions could threaten global energy markets.
In a statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the ministry expressed concern over recent security incidents in the Gulf region, including attacks on several container ships with unidentified projectiles over the past two days.
The ministry said the incidents targeted oil tankers and commercial vessels operating along key maritime corridors, which it described as vital to the global economy and energy supplies.
It stressed that the safety of navigation in international shipping lanes must remain separate from regional tensions, noting that instability in these corridors could have serious consequences not only for countries in the region but also for global energy markets and economic stability.
The ministry added that such attacks also endanger the lives of civilian crews and workers in the maritime transport sector, while negatively affecting the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide.
Iraq called on all parties to exercise restraint and keep maritime corridors and energy infrastructure outside the cycle of conflict, in order to maintain stability in global energy supplies.
Tensions in the region have intensified amid fears that disruption to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil and gas shipping routes, could severely impact global energy markets as military escalation continues between the United States and Israel on one side and Iran on the other.
