Vessels movement through the Strait of Hormuz following a U.S.-Iran ceasefire was halted, with the strategic waterway now fully closed and oil tankers forced to turn back, according to Iran's state-run Press TV.
Maritime tracking data from MarineTraffic showed that two vessels, the Greek-owned bulk carrier NJ Earth and the Liberian-flagged vessel Daytona Beach, became the first ships to transit the strait on Wednesday following the two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran on Tuesday.
However, the situation deteriorated sharply later after Israel launched large-scale strikes across Lebanon which has killed at least 254 people.
According to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency, Iran halted all oil tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz in response to the attacks.
The Press TV said the strait was fully closed, forcing several tankers that had begun heading toward the exit to reverse course and return deeper into the Persian Gulf.
Shipping analytics firm Kpler reported that, as of Tuesday, more than 1,000 vessels, including 187 laden tankers, were still waiting in the region. Even under normal navigation conditions, it takes more than two weeks for these ships to queue up and leave the strait.
Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization on Wednesday released a safe navigation chart for the Strait of Hormuz, advising all vessels to strictly follow designated routes to avoid the risk of mines.
Strait of Hormuz fully closed, forcing oil tankers to turn back
Strait of Hormuz fully closed, forcing oil tankers to turn back
Strait of Hormuz fully closed, forcing oil tankers to turn back
Iran on Friday condemned a new U.S. sanctions campaign as "state terrorism" and said pressure tactics must end for diplomacy to resume, while a senior Iranian security official vowed to retaliate against any further economic escalation.
Iran's Foreign Ministry said the sanctions amounted to a new round of "economic terrorism," accusing the United States of exploiting its influence over the dollar-based financial system to pressure other countries into adopting its policies toward Iran.
The ministry said the measures violated the sovereignty of other states and the rights of all United Nations member states, and described them as a serious breach of the UN Charter.
The statement came as Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Tehran.
Araghchi described the talks as constructive and said diplomacy could return to the right track if the United States recognized that pressure would not work. It must build trust, engage respectfully, recognize Iran's rights and meet its obligations, he said.
Separately, Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said in an interview aired on Lebanon's Al-Manar television that the U.S. shift toward economic pressure showed that its military strikes against Iran had not achieved their intended results.
Rezaei said Iran did not seek war but would respond decisively if hostilities resumed. He said Iran was preparing for a new phase of confrontation and that any future conflict would differ from previous ones.
He said any agreement between Iran and the United States would need to form part of a wider regional settlement, including a ceasefire across the Middle East, an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory and an end to the war in Gaza.
Iran would take countermeasures against any further escalation of U.S. sanctions and target U.S. economic interests in the region, Rezaei said.
Iran condemns US sanctions, urges return to diplomacy
