Shipping through Strait of Hormuz drops sharply after new Iranian restrictions

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell sharply on June 21 after Iran announced new restrictions on passage through the strategic waterway, citing what it described as violations of a provisional peace agreement by Israel and the United States.

Only five vessels passed through the strait on Sunday, June 21, compared with 26 the previous day, according to maritime analytics firm Kpler, as reported by Iran International.

Among the ships were three very large crude carriers (VLCCs), each carrying around two million barrels of Saudi crude oil or fuel oil. One tanker was reportedly bound for Japan. Analysts noted that the figures may understate actual traffic, as some vessels switch off transponders while operating in the Persian Gulf.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced the new restrictions on Saturday, June 20, stating that ongoing Israeli military operations in Lebanon constitute a breach of agreements underpinning the diplomatic process.

By Jeyhun Aghazada