Tanker traffic through Strait of Hormuz grinds to near halt - Reuters
Photo: the Strait of Hormuz (Getty Images)
Transit through the Strait of Hormuz has come to a halt after Iran attacked two more vessels, Reuters reports.
No traffic through Hormuz amid attacks
A senior Iranian source said that no progress has been made in talks on developing the ceasefire agreement reached in June, the outlet reported.
After the ceasefire collapsed, Iran resumed attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, accusing them of attempting to transit the waterway without its permission.
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) said that two of its vessels passing through the strait on Thursday evening were attacked.
The UAE government blamed Iran for the attacks, while Tehran did not immediately comment.
What is happening with tankers
According to an analysis by Kpler, only two vessels passed through the narrow waterway on Friday:
- A grain carrier that entered Iranian waters,
- An empty dry bulk carrier traveling in the opposite direction.
A separate empty liquefied petroleum gas tanker was also heading through the strait toward the Gulf of Mexico.
On Friday, August 14, no crude oil cargoes were observed transiting the strait.
Nine vessels passed through Hormuz on Thursday, compared with five on Wednesday.
Some ships may be traveling undetected with their transponders switched off.
Before the US-Iran war, about 130 vessels passed through the Strait of Hormuz every day.
"Alongside the threat to energy infrastructure in the region, Iran's ability to restrict shipping through the strait is its main source of leverage in negotiations," said Torbjorn Soltvedt, Middle East chief analyst at Verisk Maplecroft.
What Iran wants
On August 13, a parliamentary committee approved Iran's plan for the Strait of Hormuz, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
The plan includes provisions banning the transit of assets and equipment belonging to:
- The United States,
- Israel,
- Other "hostile" countries.
Earlier, RBC-Ukraine reported that the US plans to impose unprecedented measures on Iran. The focus is expected to be on exerting intense economic pressure on the regime.
It also emerged on Thursday evening that the UAE Foreign Ministry accused Iran of carrying out the attack. Earlier, state-owned oil company ADNOC said two of its vessels had come under attack in the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said that the United States has complete control over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded by insisting that it alone controls the key waterway.
