Iran's Mehr news agency, citing Bloomberg shipping data, reports that maritime traffic through the strategic waterway came to an almost complete standstill during the morning hours. The report adds to a series of conflicting claims about the status of the Strait of Hormuz in recent months.
The Mehr news agency, an Iranian state-affiliated outlet, reported Tuesday afternoon that shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz had nearly ground to a halt this morning, citing Bloomberg shipping data. The report, published hours ago, echoes findings The Zioneer has tracked since July 9, when Bloomberg data first showed a near-complete standstill in the strategic waterway.
The Zioneer's reporting on the Strait of Hormuz has documented a rapid sequence of developments. On July 9, Bloomberg data indicated that maritime traffic through the strait had nearly halted, with oil prices spiking to approximately $85 per barrel. Follow-up reports that same day detailed that shipping companies had ordered tankers to halt or turn around, with some vessels disabling transponders to avoid IRGC risk. Reuters subsequently reported that only six vessels transited on July 8, the lowest count in five weeks. Earlier, on June 11, satellite imagery circulated showing an apparent total halt, and on June 12, footage purportedly showed a massive ship jam. On June 18, traffic reportedly resumed after Iran lifted a naval blockade, but by June 21, Iranian outlets claimed the strait remained closed. The July 9 Bloomberg data marked a sharp reversal of the brief resumption.
The Zioneer has also reported on Iran's evolving control of the waterway. As of July 4, Iran had regained full control of shipping, with all traffic moving under IRGC supervision on designated lanes, according to Abu Ali Express.
The Mehr report, while confirming the standstill, relies on the same Bloomberg data that The Zioneer has already covered. The status of the Strait of Hormuz remains a subject of intense dispute, with Iran and the US offering contradictory assessments, and no independent verification of the current situation has emerged.
7 developments
- StrongIranian outlets claim Strait of Hormuz remains closed, contradicting US denials
- DevelopingSatellite image reportedly shows no traffic in Strait of Hormuz
- StrongUS official says shipping continues transiting Strait of Hormuz
- DevelopingViral footage purportedly shows massive ship jam at Strait of Hormuz as Iran declares total closure
Source and signal
- Internal intake