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Blockade

All articles tagged with #blockade

Iran taps Oman as trade route to skirt Hormuz blockade
economy-and-environment4 days ago

Iran taps Oman as trade route to skirt Hormuz blockade

Iran is using Oman’s Musandam port, particularly Khasab, as a back channel to move goods into the country after the Strait of Hormuz blockade. Cargo from the UAE is unloaded at Oman and reloaded onto Iranian vessels, with the route expanding to include other Omani ports. The workaround is far more expensive—about six times the previous UAE-to-Iran route—reflecting how the blockade is forcing trade into longer, costlier, and less predictable channels, while indicating the limits of Iran’s ability to bypass restrictions.

Talks via Pakistan Continue as US-Blockade Tightens Gulf Tensions
world9 days ago

Talks via Pakistan Continue as US-Blockade Tightens Gulf Tensions

Iran says talks are ongoing through Pakistan as the US-led blockade redirects ships and tightens pressure. The live updates also cover Tehran’s push to formalize control of the Strait of Hormuz with new authorities and crypto-backed insurance, Russia’s support for Iran’s peaceful uranium enrichment, and a broader pattern of regional tensions and incidents from Gaza to Iraq amid the US‑Iran‑Israel confrontation.

Iranian Oil Reaches Toward China Despite U.S. Blockade
world11 days ago

Iranian Oil Reaches Toward China Despite U.S. Blockade

Despite a U.S.-led maritime blockade intercepting more than 70 vessels since mid‑April and the Majestic X being seized, several Iranian oil shipments are still headed toward China. Ships are using tactics like ship‑to‑ship transfers, spoofed locations, and off‑flag operations, with NYT satellite analysis highlighting three vessels nearing East Asia. Iran’s crude stockpiles near Malaysia have dwindled (about 51 million barrels remaining, down from ~85 million in February), showing the blockade’s partial impact while China remains Iran’s main customer and a persistent outlet for its oil.

US Navy strikes two Iran-linked tankers in Gulf of Oman with precision munitions
world18 days ago

US Navy strikes two Iran-linked tankers in Gulf of Oman with precision munitions

A U.S. Navy F/A-18 reportedly disabled two Iran-flagged tankers, Sea Star III and Sevda, in the Gulf of Oman by firing precision munitions at their funnels after CENTCOM said the vessels violated a blockade; experts say laser-guided bombs were used to achieve targeted impacts with limited damage, and inert munitions may explain the absence of large explosions or casualties, with CENTCOM noting more ships have been redirected to comply with the blockade.

U.S. Fighter Jet Silences Two Iranian Blockade Tankers in Gulf of Oman
world18 days ago

U.S. Fighter Jet Silences Two Iranian Blockade Tankers in Gulf of Oman

A U.S. Navy F/A-18 from the USS George H.W. Bush disabled two Iranian-flagged tankers, Sea Star III and Sevda, by striking their smokestacks as they attempted to pass through the Gulf of Oman in violation of the ongoing blockade of Iran’s ports. CENTCOM says the vessels were non-compliant and no longer transiting to Iran, following similar prior actions against Iranian-flagged ships; the operation is part of a broader maritime effort to enforce the blockade and protect commercial shipping in the region.

US strikes Iran-flagged tankers to enforce blockade in Gulf of Oman
world19 days ago

US strikes Iran-flagged tankers to enforce blockade in Gulf of Oman

The U.S. military said it struck two Iran-flagged unladen oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman to prevent them from entering an Iranian port in violation of a naval blockade, releasing video of the strikes; the move comes amid renewed clashes with Iran and ongoing efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and nuclear talks, with Rubio expecting Iran to respond to a U.S. proposal.

Trump Pauses Project Freedom to Push Iran Deal, Keeps Hormuz Strait Blockade
world21 days ago

Trump Pauses Project Freedom to Push Iran Deal, Keeps Hormuz Strait Blockade

Trump paused Project Freedom to allow space for finalizing a settlement with Iran while keeping the blockade on Iranian ports; officials say the ceasefire remains and Iran must accept US demands on its nuclear program and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, as hundreds of ships remain blocked and only a few have passed through. The development comes amid claims of a strengthened US operational posture, ongoing regional tensions, and rising fuel costs as shipping disruptions persist.

Trump launches 'Project Freedom' to escort Hormuz ships amid Iran tensions
world23 days ago

Trump launches 'Project Freedom' to escort Hormuz ships amid Iran tensions

President Trump announced 'Project Freedom' to help free ships stuck in the Strait of Hormuz by escorting them through the waterway, with CENTCOM saying it will support merchant transit from Monday; details are unclear and the move could threaten the fragile US-Iran ceasefire, as Tehran warns against American interference. The plan comes amid ongoing blockades, rising oil prices, and Trump's rejection of Iran's latest 14-point proposal, while Iranian officials threaten countermeasures if attacked.

Trump weighs Iran’s deal proposal, skeptical it meets his terms
politics24 days ago

Trump weighs Iran’s deal proposal, skeptical it meets his terms

President Trump said he would review Iran’s new plan to end the war but doubted its acceptability, arguing Iran hasn’t paid enough of a price. The proposal reportedly would reopen shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and end the U.S. blockade while delaying talks on Iran’s nuclear program. Trump Signaled openness to a deal but warned against a strike, as the U.S. Navy maintains the blockade and Congress remains at odds over authorization after the Senate rejected a War Powers resolution.

Iranian proposal seeks to reopen Hormuz, lift blockade, delay nuclear talks
world24 days ago

Iranian proposal seeks to reopen Hormuz, lift blockade, delay nuclear talks

Iranian officials say Tehran’s proposal would reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end the U.S. blockade while deferring major nuclear talks to a later stage, setting a framework where sanctions relief comes in exchange for limits on Iran’s nuclear program; Trump says he’s not satisfied with the plan and prefers a diplomatic path over military action, as domestic pressure to secure Hormuz and stabilize energy markets grows amid ongoing tensions.

Blockade slashes Iran's oil revenue by nearly $5B, Pentagon says
politics25 days ago

Blockade slashes Iran's oil revenue by nearly $5B, Pentagon says

The Defense Department says the U.S. blockade in the Gulf of Oman has denied Iran roughly $4.8 billion in oil revenue since mid-April, with more than 40 vessels redirected and 31 tankers carrying 53 million barrels of Iranian oil stranded or seized (two ships). Iran is turning to older tankers as floating storage as on-land capacity fills, while analysts frame the blockade as part of a broader leverage effort in stalled peace talks.

Gaza's May Day: Laborers scrape by amid rubble and siege
world26 days ago

Gaza's May Day: Laborers scrape by amid rubble and siege

On International Workers' Day, Gaza’s economy is crushed by more than two years of war: unemployment around 80%, poverty over 90%, and most residents reliant on humanitarian aid. Workers are taking dangerous, poorly paid jobs—like Ibrahim Abu al-Eish, who clears rubble for about 80 shekels a day to support a large displaced family, and Yousef al-Rifi, who bakes at a roadside stall for roughly 50 shekels a day—to survive as the blockade and damaged infrastructure hinder recovery.

Port Blockade Intensifies Iran Pressure as Oil Markets Soar
world27 days ago

Port Blockade Intensifies Iran Pressure as Oil Markets Soar

On day 62 of the US-Israel confrontation with Iran, Trump touts a port blockade as Tehran is urged to 'give up,' while Iran says the measures haven’t halted oil output and diplomacy remains possible. The blockage fuels an energy shock, with Brent near $120 a barrel and US gas prices at four-year highs, as the two sides clash over uranium stockpiles, seized assets, and war reparations, with regional spillovers to Bahrain and Gaza and comments from Putin and U.S. lawmakers about cost and strategy.