The tanker, HAANA, was
trying to use the southern route, known as the “Oman corridor”, when a large
Iranian warship warned it, Fars said. The tanker did not continue. Fars also said that no ships had been seen
using the southern route in the previous 24 hours. The report has not been
independently confirmed by Iranian or Indian authorities. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue
to disrupt shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Before the war began in February,
around one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed
through the waterway. Most commercial
traffic has since stopped, affecting energy markets and global shipping. Fars reported that the Indian oil tanker
HAANA tried to use the southern route of the Strait of Hormuz, known as the
Oman corridor, a few months ago. It was stopped after receiving a warning. The
agency described the Iranian vessel as a large warship but did not identify it.
It also did not say what the warning was about or how long the encounter
lasted. Fars also said no ships had
used the southern route in the previous 24 hours. The incident has not been independently
confirmed by Iranian or Indian authorities.
Iran and Oman are still discussing shipping through the Strait of
Hormuz. Oman said the two countries had
discussed a temporary route for ships and plans to clear mines from the
waterway. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs,
Kazem Gharibabadi, said on Tuesday (25 Aug) that Iran and Oman had agreed on a
temporary route for ships using the strait.
An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spokesperson, cited by Iran’s
semi-official Tasnim news agency, also said the two countries had reached agreements
on their respective shares of the waterway’s waters and the revenues generated
from it. But a senior Iranian source later told Reuters that no agreement had
been finalised. The source said talks were still continuing over the details. Iran has said that an agreement with Oman
alone would not fully reopen the Strait
of Hormuz. IRGC
spokesman Hossein Mohebbi said Iran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz if the
United States stopped obstructing Iran and returned to an agreement. Mohebbi
added that Iran would not reopen the waterway unless the United States accepted
its conditions. Iran has demanded an
end to the U.S. blockade of its ports, compensation and the removal of
sanctions as conditions for reopening the strait. The United States continues to put economic
and military pressure on Iran. U.S.
President Donald Trump has said both forms of pressure are working. He has also
said that Washington is not in a hurry to negotiate with Tehran.