According to a senior Iranian source quoted by the Russian news agency TASS, Iran will not allow more than 15 vessels a day to pass through the Strait of Hormuz as part of the ceasefire agreement with the United States.
The Strait of Hormuz – a critical maritime corridor between Iran and Oman – captures about 20% of the world’s oil and key commodities, so any restrictions are a major concern for global markets.
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Conditional passage is a concern
Iranian officials said the ships must coordinate with the military before passing through the waterway.
“All ships that would like to pass through the Strait of Hormuz must communicate with our military and the military,” Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh told ITV, according to Bloomberg. “Anyone who communicates with the Iranian authorities has a clearance.”
He cited “technical limitations,” including possible mines, as the reason for the strict control.
But Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., criticized the arrangement, telling Bloomberg: “Conditional passage is not passage. It’s control by another name.”
Traffic remains severely restricted
Despite the two-week ceasefire, shipping activity remains almost at a standstill.
According to Reuters, only one oil tanker and five dry bulk ships have passed through the strait in the past 24 hours.
Figures from Kpler, Lloyd’s List Intelligence and Signal Ocean cited by Reuters show that:
Traffic has dropped to just a few vessels a day
Compared to around 140 ships a day before the conflict
More than 800 vessels remain stranded in the Persian Gulf awaiting transit conditions.
Global energy flows are at risk
The disruption rattled global energy markets, with oil prices jumping again amid uncertainty.
Even when shipping resumes, delays mean it could take weeks or months for shipments to reach buyers, prolonging supply concerns.
Iran has also reportedly imposed tolls of up to $2 million per vessel, further complicating commercial shipping decisions.
International pressure for control measures
The International Maritime Organization warned against unilateral control of the waterway.
“We cannot have this different or parallel approach where another country implements a different mechanism that is not in line with international practice,” Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez told Bloomberg TV.
The truce is holding, but fragile
The U.S.-Iran ceasefire — declared after nearly six weeks of fighting — remains tenuous.
President Donald Trump has warned that US forces will remain in the region and warned of escalation if negotiations fail:
“If there is no deal, the ‘shooting’ will begin, bigger, better and stronger than anyone has ever seen.”
Dealing ahead, key issues unresolved
The US and Iran are preparing for direct talks in Islamabad led by Vice President JD Vance.
Key bonding points include:
-Control over the Strait of Hormuz
-Iran’s nuclear program
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has already warned that the attacks in Lebanon could undermine the talks, calling them a “clear violation” of the ceasefire.
Lebanon’s conflict threatens progress
While strikes have largely stopped elsewhere, fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continues in Lebanon, raising fears that a fragile truce could collapse.
European and world leaders have urged restraint, warning that an escalation could derail already sensitive diplomatic efforts.
Read also | Is the US-Israel-Iran ceasefire a pause or a tactical reversal?
