Iran Asserts Control Over Strait of Hormuz

Iran asserts continued control over transit through the Strait of Hormuz despite a U.S.-led blockade of its ports, warning of a response to American sanctions enforcement efforts.

The statement comes from Iran’s state media, which reported that a supertanker capable of carrying 2 million barrels of oil sailed through the Strait of Hormuz with its tracking system active and “without any concealment.” This occurred hours after a top U.S. Military commander declared the blockade of Iranian ports as “fully implemented.”

According to MarineTraffic.com data cited in the report, the Chinese-owned crude oil tanker Alicia, which has previously called at Iranian ports and was sanctioned under a prior name for transporting Iranian crude, made the transit through the strait overnight. The vessel had altered its course in the Gulf of Oman when the blockade began but resumed passage through the Strait of Hormuz alongside at least two other oil tankers.

Two Iran-flagged container ships, both under U.S. Sanctions, were also observed departing the Persian Gulf and sailing near Iran’s southern coast on the same day.

The U.S. Blockade, which took effect on Monday, is being enforced “impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas,” U.S. Central Command stated. However, the military emphasized that forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports.

Iran maintains that it still controls the movement of vessels through the strategic waterway, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, and has warned of a response to the U.S. Actions, though specific measures were not detailed in the reported statement.