One In Five Ships Passing Hormuz Now Linked To Sanctioned Iran Trade

One In Five Ships Passing Hormuz Now Linked To Sanctioned Iran Trade

Nearly one in every five commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz is now a sanctioned ship linked to Iran, Russia or Venezuela, according to new maritime tracking data.

The surge comes after Washington suspended key sanctions and lifted its naval blockade as part of the temporary US-Iran ceasefire agreement signed earlier this month.

Sanctioned Tankers Moving Freely

Maritime analyst Kpler reported that nine of the 48 vessels confirmed to have crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Monday had previously been sanctioned for transporting oil linked to Iran and other US adversaries.

Among them were the Iran-flagged bulk carrier Warta and several crude tankers including Asha, Lumina Ocean and Titan, which were tracked using routes commonly associated with Iranian oil exports.

Other sanctioned vessels identified in the shipping data included Vigor, Elva, Nichola, Virgo and Sea Ace.

Millions Of Barrels Flowing Out

According to shipping analysts, at least five of the sanctioned tankers were carrying up to four million barrels of crude oil.

Monitoring group United Against Nuclear Iran says more than 30 tankers carrying Iranian crude and petrochemicals have left the Strait of Hormuz since the US and Iran signed their memorandum of understanding on June 17.

In total, at least 172 vessels have passed through the strategic waterway since the agreement came into force, with traffic continuing to increase as shipping companies seek to take advantage of the temporary ceasefire.

Iran Races To Cash In

Iranian officials are reportedly working around the clock to export as much crude as possible before negotiations enter a more difficult phase.

Bloomberg reports that Tehran is aggressively marketing oil to refiners in India, Japan and South Korea after years of sanctions largely shut it out of major markets.

Energy analytics firm Vortexa estimates Iran currently has around 68 million barrels of crude and condensate floating at sea, with roughly 80 per cent available for immediate sale.

Critics Warn US Is Losing Leverage

The rapid return of Iranian oil exports is raising concerns among foreign-policy analysts who argue Tehran is already benefiting from concessions before a final agreement has been reached.

Kelly Campa of the Institute for the Study of War warned that Iran now has every incentive to prolong negotiations while continuing to earn billions from energy sales.

"Iran has used this stage to reap economic benefits before progress is even made on the next step of negotiations," she said.

"It puts Tehran in a stronger position if talks collapse and reduces American leverage during the 60-day negotiating period."

Hormuz Open — But Questions Growing

While fears of a closure of the Strait of Hormuz have eased, attention is now turning to the growing volume of Iranian-linked shipping moving through one of the world's most important energy chokepoints.

For critics of the deal, the sight of sanctioned tankers once again sailing freely through Hormuz raises a difficult question: has Tehran already secured major economic gains before making any meaningful concessions in return?

SOURCE