Iraq’s Fuel Lines Grow as War Chokes Imports

Drivers lined up for hours outside gas stations in Baghdad on Saturday, as a shortage of gasoline gripped the oil-rich country. The cause is not a drop in domestic production, but a disruption to imports. Iraq relies on foreign fuel to meet demand, and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has cut off those supply routes. Long queues formed across the capital as stations rationed sales. The scarcity marks a sharp irony for a nation sitting on some of the world’s largest crude reserves, yet unable to refine enough of it locally. Authorities have not yet announced when regular supply will resume. For now, residents face an uncertain wait, with tensions in the region showing no sign of easing.