Iran has once again closed the Strait of Hormuz, resulting in the suspension of merchant vessel traffic. In this regard, the spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbia Central Command said that the Strait of Hormuz is under strict Iranian control, and there has been no change in the previous state of the Strait of Hormuz. On the other hand, the Revolutionary Guards said that the Strait of Hormuz will remain under strict control until the United States restores the movement of ships coming and going from Iran. The Revolutionary Guards said that the United States is continuing piracy under the guise of a blockade of Iranian ports. The strategic surveillance and administrative control of the Strait of Hormuz are in the hands of the Iranian forces.
It is clear that yesterday, Iran announced the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, after which merchant vessel traffic was restored. Abbas Araqchi said in a statement released today, on Friday, that "the Strait of Hormuz has been declared fully open to all commercial ships for entry and exit, in parallel with the ceasefire in Lebanon, and in accordance with the routes announced by the Iran Port and Maritime Committee".
US President Donald Trump welcomed Iran's announcement and wrote "Thank you!" on his 'Truth Social' platform on Friday, saying that "Iran has announced that it will fully open this waterway and is ready for full transit. However, the US naval blockade of Iranian ports will continue until a peace agreement is reached with Tehran". It is clear that since the start of US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28, the movement of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz has been severely limited. Except for a slight increase over the weekend, the number of ships passing through the Strait daily has not reached dozens. Under recent US Navy restrictions, shipowners need permission from both Iranian and US authorities to export oil and other goods from the Gulf. This restriction has increased uncertainty in cargo flow. Although three supertankers carrying non-Iranian crude oil were able to exit the Strait last week, very little cargo has been able to pass through the Strait since the blockade was imposed.
The tanker 'Shalamar' first tried to enter the Gulf on Sunday but turned back after the failure of US-Iran peace talks. It later completed its journey and headed east from 'Das Island' on Thursday, where it had loaded crude oil. The US Central Command said in a statement on Thursday that 14 ships had turned back in the past three days, indicating that many shipowners are not willing to take the risk of passing through the Strait in the current situation. According to reports, the naval blockade stretches from near 'Ras Al Hadd' on the coast of Oman to the border between Iran and Pakistan.
