India, Türkiye granted Iran approval for Strait of Hormuz transit

India and Türkiye have received Iran’s authorization to transit ships through the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg reports, noting that all commercial vessels must now coordinate with Iranian authorities and obtain prior clearance as military tensions escalate in the region.

Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that while Iran has not formally closed the strait, it maintains de facto control over navigation, selectively allowing passage based on political and security considerations. Several vessels have already been granted permission to transit, while others remain on hold, causing shipping delays and increasing maritime transport costs.

The development comes as hostilities involving Iran, the United States, and Israel enter their 18th day. On March 16, US President Donald Trump acknowledged that securing the Strait of Hormuz would take time and require international cooperation, urging NATO members to assist in safeguarding the strategic waterway.

However, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, and France rejected Trump’s call, stressing that national interests must be weighed and that readiness of their vessels for such a mission should be carefully assessed.

The Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime chokepoint, handles approximately 20% of the world’s oil and 4.5% of global trade. Iran’s recent measures have effectively slowed traffic through the passage, driving oil prices more than 20% higher to over $104 per barrel—the highest level since July 2022.

By Vafa Guliyeva