Iranian naval forces began allowing commercial vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz on Monday following a temporary suspension of passage through the strategic waterway, according to maritime tracking data and statements from regional port authorities.
The resumption of traffic came after Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy announced over the weekend that it had halted all foreign-flagged ship movements through the strait due to what it described as “provocative maneuvers” by a U.S.-led naval coalition in the area. The pause lasted approximately 36 hours before normal operations were restored.
Maritime security firms reported that over 20 tankers and cargo ships, including several carrying liquefied natural gas and crude oil bound for Asian and European markets, had been anchored in waiting zones off the coast of the United Arab Emirates and Oman during the suspension. By Tuesday morning, vessel tracking platforms showed a steady flow of traffic resuming in both directions through the channel, which sees roughly one-fifth of global oil trade pass through its waters each year.
Omani foreign ministry officials confirmed in a brief statement that diplomatic channels remained open between Tehran and Muscat to prevent further disruptions, noting that Oman had facilitated informal discussions between Iranian and U.S. Naval representatives earlier in the month to reduce the risk of miscalculation. The U.S. Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, did not respond to requests for comment on the incident.
Analysts at the International Institute for Strategic Studies said the episode underscored the fragility of maritime security in the region, particularly as seasonal increases in shipping volume coincide with heightened military activity by both state and non-state actors. They added that while freedom of navigation has not been formally challenged, repeated episodic disruptions erode confidence among shipping insurers and charterers.
Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organization reiterated on Tuesday that all vessels comply with standard international maritime law when transiting the strait and warned that any future restrictions would be announced through official notices to mariners. No such notice has been issued as of Wednesday morning.
Shipping industry groups said they are monitoring the situation closely but have not yet advised clients to alter routing or increase security premiums for vessels transiting the Gulf of Oman. The next scheduled review of regional maritime risk assessments by the Joint War Committee is set for mid-May.
