Iran: Oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz cut by 60%
Iranian officials say transit fell to about 3.8 million barrels per day and that some routes used for smuggling will be closed.
Oil transit through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen by about 60% over the past two days and now stands at roughly 3.8 million barrels per day, Iranian officials said. They added that the estimated weekly average moving through the strait is about 9.3 million barrels per day.
Statements from Iranian commanders and a U.S. response
An adviser to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said the flow is "completely under Iran's control" and that the waterway will remain closed until the United States accepts Iran's demands, adding that the volume of oil currently being smuggled through the route is "very small."
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio countered earlier the same day, saying Iran has lost full control over the Strait and that the waterway is open, with volumes now "completely equal to those before the blockade."
The IRGC adviser also said that shipping routes Iran considers illegal will soon be shut down, describing passages that were breached through rock formations and alleging the use of small boats to traffic oil.
Exports of crude oil from the Middle East via the Strait of Hormuz remain uncertain as long as peace talks between the United States and Iran are stalled.
Photo: Matthiasb; Kartographie von OpenStreetMap-Mitwirkenden. / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
