The Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) shared this morning a map with alternative routes for transit in the Strait of Hormuz, a day after the president of the United States, Donald Trump, accepted the ten-point plan presented by Tehran and began a two-week ceasefire between both countries.
Fragile, very fragile, as demonstrated by the fight between the parties over the points of debate and, above all, what is happening with Lebanon, which the Iranians understand to be incorporated into the armistice, but not the Americans or the Israelis. The latter yesterday launched the worst attack on their northern neighbor since this crisis began almost six weeks ago, leaving 250 dead, according to the Beirut Ministry of Health.
Due to the war, which began on February 28, and “given the presence of various types of anti-ship mines” in the area, the Tasnim agency, linked to the elite body of the Iranian armed forces, indicated that ships transiting the strait “must coordinate with the IRGC and, until further notice, use alternative routes for transit” through this strategic route.
According to Persian media, an entry route and an exit route will be established: the first will go from the Sea of Oman to the north, to the island of Larak, and from there to the Persian Gulf, while the second will follow the reverse route, both according to a map that Tasnim shared on Telegram.
Following US and Israeli airstrikes against Iran in late February, Iran began blocking the strait, laying mines and launching sporadic attacks on ships.
Safe passage
After seeing drastic traffic drops of up to 97% after the start of the war, movement in the Strait of Hormuz began to cautiously resume on Wednesday after the US and Iran agreed to a two-week truce that will allow “safe passage” through the waterway.
However, on the same Wednesday Tehran announced an interruption of the navigation of oil tankers in response to the massive surprise bombings that Israel launched against Lebanon, information that the White House has denied.
Hours before the agreement, Tehran assured that its plan stipulates a “security protocol” to guarantee Iranian “control” of this strategic step, through which about 20% of the world’s fossil energy circulated before the war.
The reopening of Hormuz has been a demand of the international community and, especially, of Trump, who has repeatedly threatened Iran with attacking and “razing” its power plants and bridges if it did not reopen the strait. He even claimed that the entire country could be “annihilated in a single night” and that it would return to “the Stone Age.”
Just four ships… and they are not oil tankers
This Thursday it remains unclear when Iran would allow completely free passage of ships through the crucial strait. As reported tonight by the American newspaper The New York Times“no oil or gas tankers have passed through the strait since the ceasefire was reached,” according to data provided to Kpler, a global ship tracking company. Four bulk carriers, that is, ships that transport dry cargo, did manage to cross.
Iranian state media reported yesterday afternoon that the strait was “completely closed” and that some oil tankers had been turned away. This report came after semi-official media, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that traffic in the strait had stopped again, this time in response to a wave of Israeli attacks on Lebanon.
Since those reports, no ships have crossed the strait, according to Kpler data. According to maritime data, the last ship to cross the strait – a cargo ship – was located in the middle of it around 4:45 p.m. (Spanish time) on Wednesday.
Nikos Pothitakis, head of media relations at Kpler, told the New York newspaper that the traffic indicated that, regardless of the official status of the strait, it was practically closed. The reason for the slow shipping activity was unclear, but it could reflect lingering concerns among sailors and their insurers, who may be reluctant to resume operations until they are more certain it is safe.
The White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, also contributed to the general confusion yesterday, since in a chaotic press conference, she stated that the news about the closure of the strait was “false.” Then, he asked for its “immediate” reopening. He refused to answer repeated questions about who currently controls the sea route.
