Iranian Tankers Bypass US Blockade Amid Tensions

Middle Eastern outlets stress that the US blockade is choking regional trade and oil flows, but also highlight analysis that Iran’s economy can cope for a limited time. Reports from this block say Iran is still exporting crude through covert tanker routes and by switching off tracking, while the IEA warns that millions of barrels per day are off the market. Commentators here blame Washington for the initial blockade but also warn that Iran’s closure of Hormuz and seizure of ships deepen the crisis for Gulf states and global energy importers.

• •US naval forces have imposed a blockade that sharply restricts Iran’s use of its own ports and the Strait of Hormuz.
• •Iran continues to move crude exports using tankers that sail with tracking systems disabled.
• •Energy experts in the region estimate that Iran can withstand the blockade economically in the short term but not indefinitely.
• •The International Energy Agency calculates that about 13 million barrels per day of oil supply are currently disrupted by the Hormuz crisis.
• •Regional governments fear that prolonged closure of Hormuz will damage Gulf economies and strain relations with Asian oil buyers.