BASRA — In the Iraqi oil hub of Basra, maintenance contractor Fawzi spends his days cooling his heels waiting for work that seldom comes, as the Middle East war puts a serious crimp on the once-bustling port town.

Basra has long been a key cog in Iraq’s economy but, after months of Iran choking off Gulf oil exports with its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, the city is suffering.

Fuel trucks stand idle and workers face pay cuts and lay-offs.

“I haven’t done anything in a month,” Fawzi told AFP. “What are we supposed to maintain?”

Many Basra residents have lost their jobs or taken heavy pay cuts as private contractors, as oil fields and the Umm Qasr cargo port scale back operations.

Crude oil exports account for almost 90 per cent of Iraq’s foreign revenue, and are primarily shipped through Hormuz via the cluster of facilities around Basra, the country’s only gateway to the Gulf.

The war has cruelly exposed Iraq’s dependence on oil, and its main export route, dealing a setback to its economic recovery after decades of conflict.

Fawzi said his company first slashed salaries by 20 per cent, then by half, before laying off dozens of employees. He now reports for duty just 15 days a month.

Basra’s parking areas overflow with oil trucks. Some linger empty, while others wait for weeks with full tanks to load their crude onto ships.