The Iraqi Ministry of Trade has announced the arrival of a transport vessel carrying 44,000 tons of American rice at Jordan’s Port of Aqaba, noting that the vital cargo is slated to enter Iraqi territory shortly.

The shipment marks a critical milestone in Iraq's rapid logistics pivot following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has blocked traditional maritime access to Iraq's southern ports for the past two months.

Securing the National Food Ration System

According to Luma Hashim al-Mousawi, Director General of the State Company for Foodstuff Trading, the American grain procurement is part of an aggressive domestic stabilization initiative.

"The process of securing the requirements for the public food basket and social welfare distribution is proceeding on schedule under the 2026 marketing plan," al-Mousawi stated. "We are working to guarantee the seamless delivery of essential food items to all Iraqi governorates without delay to safeguard national food security."

Aqaba Emerges as Iraq's Primary Transit Hub

With the Persian Gulf route heavily disrupted, Jordan's Red Sea port has emerged as Iraq's primary supply lifeline. Mahmoud Khelifat, Director General of the Aqaba Company for Ports Management and Operation, confirmed that five additional cargo ships loaded with essential commodities destined for Iraqi markets have successfully anchored.

The shipments contain critical food provisions, including supplementary rice, corn, and sugar, alongside raw industrial materials like iron and timber, all earmarked for overland transit to Iraq via a streamlined customs corridor.

Khelifat disclosed that the Port of Aqaba has already facilitated the transit of 100,000 tons of vegetable oil to Iraq over the last 60 days. An additional two vessels carrying a combined 65,000 tons of bulk liquid cargo are currently in the port's docking queue awaiting offloading.