According to The New York Times, citing U.S. officials, the situation could complicate talks between the U.S. and Iranian delegations due to be held in Pakistan in the coming days.
As the publication notes, last month Iran began mining the strategically important strait using small vessels. This came shortly after the outbreak of a military conflict involving the US and Israel. The mines planted, as well as the threat of drone and missile strikes, effectively paralyzed the movement of oil tankers and other vessels. Against this background, world energy prices rose sharply.
The mines were laid chaotically
At the same time, Tehran did not completely close the strait: the passage was allowed to ships willing to pay the established duty. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned of the mine danger and published safe routes. However, according to U.S. officials, these routes remain limited due to the chaotic nature of the mines – some of the mines may have been laid without precise fixation of coordinates or designed to drift.
Experts note that clearing sea areas is much more difficult than mines. Even the U.S. has limited means for such operations and uses mainly coastal ships with trawls. Iran itself, according to NYT sources, is also unable to quickly neutralize the mines it has planted.
The alternative route has been officially introduced
The IRGC Navy recently introduced official alternative routes for ships. The agency explained that this is due to the military situation in the region and the risk of drifting mines in major shipping lanes.
Note that on the night of April 8, the United States and Iran agreed on a temporary truce for two weeks. Washington said Tehran agreed to open the strait, while the Iranian side insists that the US recognized its demands, including control over the strait.
Talks between the sides are scheduled for April 11 in Pakistan. On the eve of the meeting, the sides accused each other of violating the terms of the ceasefire. Donald Trump called it unacceptable to charge fees for tanker passage, while Tehran said the ceasefire did not apply to its allied forces in Lebanon.
