Iran orders tankers to use approved routes in Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s joint military command warned on July 2 that all oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz must follow routes approved by Tehran or face an immediate and forceful response. Iranian state television carried the warning the same day. The statement added that any U.S.

Interference in the strait would prompt a rapid and decisive reaction. The warning came one day after U.S. and Iranian negotiators met in Qatar to advance last month’s interim agreement toward a broader peace deal.

Those talks reportedly made progress, though the next round is expected only after funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei conclude next week. Tanker traffic through the strait has risen from earlier lows but remains well below pre-war volumes. AP reported 258 vessels transited in the week ending around July 2, up from 138 the prior week.

Daily crossings have settled at 30 to 60, compared with roughly 130 before the conflict. An interim agreement allows ships to pass toll-free for 60 days. Tehran maintains it holds authority to dictate routes and to impose transit fees once that period ends.

Washington and Gulf Arab states reject that position. Oil traders have priced in a faster return of Gulf exports, with Brent crude slipping toward pre-war levels as stranded cargoes depart the Persian Gulf.