LONDON: An oil tanker loaded with Iraqi crude was seen ​passing through the Strait of Hormuz close to the Iranian coast a day after Iran said Iraq was exempt from any restrictions to ‌transit the ‌vital sea ​route, ‌data ⁠from ​LSEG and Kpler ⁠showed.

The Ocean Thunder loaded about 1 million barrels of Basrah Heavy crude on March 2 and is expected to ⁠discharge its cargo ‌in Pengerang, Malaysia, ‌in mid-April, Kpler ​data ‌showed.

Iran initially closed the ‌Strait, a corridor that carries about a fifth of global oil and LNG flows, ‌after US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran in late ⁠February ⁠triggered a widening conflict.

It later said it would allow passage for vessels without US or Israeli connections, and in recent days three Omani-operated tankers, a French-owned container ship and a Japanese-owned gas ​carrier have ​crossed the strait.