UN launches operation to evacuate 600 ships stranded in the Persian Gulf
An oil tanker (photo: Getty Images)
The United Nations is launching a large-scale operation to evacuate hundreds of foreign vessels and thousands of sailors stranded in the Persian Gulf due to ongoing hostilities. The International Maritime Organization has already secured the necessary safety guarantees from key regional players to restore maritime traffic, according to The New York Times.
According to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), 600 vessels are stranded in the Gulf. This became a consequence of the war between the United States and Israel against Iran, as the blockade lasted for more than three months.
There are 11,000 crew members on board the ships. IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said that sailors had endured "months of hardship and distress."
The evacuation plan is already underway, and the UN agency has begun contacting ship captains. The operation is being carried out jointly with the United States, Oman, and Iran.
"We have secured the necessary safety guarantees and have thoroughly verified the conditions for safe navigation to support these operations," Dominguez emphasized.
Oman's Ministry of Defense has already designated a special corridor. Ships are required to travel along the country's coastline. US military personnel have been coordinating traffic in these areas for several weeks.
What is the situation in the Strait of Hormuz?
After the signing of a memorandum between the United States and Iran, Donald Trump stated that the Strait of Hormuz was "totally open." According to him, by June 21, "more oil yesterday than has ever gone through the Strait."
Later, the US Treasury Department announced that it was temporarily suspending sanctions on Iranian oil. However, this exemption will remain in effect for only the same 60-day period.
