Long lines formed outside fuel stations in Baghdad on Saturday as gasoline supplies fell in oil-rich Iraq.

The shortage has been linked to import delays caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Although Iraq is OPEC’s second-largest oil producer, it still imports refined products because its refineries cannot produce enough gasoline to meet local demand. In recent weeks, queues have reappeared every few days at government-run stations in the capital and other provinces.

Baghdad resident, Ibrahim Hashem spent two hours waiting on Friday without success and returned early the next morning. He expressed frustration that a country producing large volumes of crude oil still struggles to provide enough gasoline for daily needs.

Iraq’s average daily gasoline consumption is about 33 million litres, but demand rises to 38 million litres when people panic-buy during shortages. The oil ministry said regional events and the conflict were creating logistical problems for tanker traffic and delaying arrivals at Iraqi ports.

Oil Minister, Bassem Mohammed Khudair described the shortage as temporary and said new shipments would arrive soon to stabilise supplies. Like other producers in the region, Iraq has been affected by disruptions linked to the conflict, particularly around the strategic Strait of Hormuz through which much of its oil exports normally pass.

Photo credit: Punch Newspaper