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15 ships a day, subject to approval: Curbs remain on Hormuz strait amid Iran's regulation despite ceasefire
Iranian minister said that while Hormuz is open, each tanker and vessel needs to make “necessary arrangements” with the military to pass.
Shipping traffic at the Strait of Hormuz remained at a virtual standstill amid Iranian regulation, despite the ceasefire, on Thursday, with little movement. Several reports said Iran will allow no more than 15 vessels to pass per day, with Iran's deputy minister earlier saying that ships will need to obtain consent from the military.
One oil product tanker and five separate dry bulk carriers reportedly sailed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours on Thursday, Reuters reported. Two Iranian-flagged tankers also sailed through Hormuz.
Iran will allow no more than 15 vessels per day to pass through the Hormuz under the ceasefire agreement, Russia's TASS news agency reported, citing Iranian official sources.
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Is Strait of Hormuz open?
Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran, Saeed Khatibzadeh, said that while Hormuz is open, each tanker and vessel needs to make “necessary arrangements” with the Iranian military and authorities to “securely pass.”
Khatibzadeh also said that there are “technical restraints” resulting from the recent attacks on Iran and the narrowness of the waterway, which requires caution.
The comments by the minister were consistent with the radio transmission from Iran to maritime traffic, insisting on the need for its permission to transit.
Meanwhile, the head of Abu Dhabi National Oil Corporation also said that Iran is preventing access to the energy flow and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
“Conditional passage is not passage. It is controlled by another name,” Sultan Al Jaber was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.
What ceasefire said about Hormuz?
Earlier this week, Iran and US agreed on a two-week temporary ceasefire and Tehran put forward a 10-point proposal outlining conditions, including sanction relief and control over Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump in a post on social media earlier, said that Iran has agreed to “complete and immediate safe opening” of Hormuz.
Where US Iran stand on access to Strait of Hormuz?
The US and Iran are set to hold peace talks in Pakistan, with Iranian delegations due to arrive in Islamabad on Thursday. The talks will be based on a 10-point proposal by Iran which shows little overlap with the 15-point plan by Washington, suggesting major gaps on key issues.
Iran and US remain deeply divided on key issues of the peace deal, including on uranium enrichment and on access to the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran has reportedly indicated that under a permanent peace deal, it would charge a fee for ships transiting the strait. The proposed fee structure would vary depending on the type of ship, its cargo, and other prevailing conditions, according to Reuters.
Meanwhile, Trump has always demanded that Iran open Hormuz, threatening to “devastate” it. In a recent post on Thursday, Trump said, "It was agreed, a long time ago, and despite all of the fake rhetoric to the contrary - NO NUCLEAR WEAPONS and, the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE."
Trump also warned that US forces will remain deployed in and around Iran until a “real agreement” is reached.
Iran's Supreme Council contradicted Trump's statement on the Hormuz issue, saying that US has “accepted Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz,” Mehr News Agency quoted the council as saying.
As the peace talks in Islamabad near, Iran is unlikely to make major concessions and has indicated it can patiently keep on fighting, with the Strait of Hormuz giving it economic leverage over an enemy.
Meanwhile, oil prices rose over 3 per cent on Thursday as the Strait of Hormuz remained disrupted. Brent crude futures were up $3.41, or 3.6%, at $98.16 a barrel, Reuters reported.
