Iran Limits Strait of Hormuz Transit to 'Friendly' Ships, Causing Major Tanker Backlog

A de facto blockade is tightening at the world's most critical oil chokepoint. Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely restricted, with transits over the past 24 hours consisting almost exclusively of vessels deemed 'friendly' to Iran, primarily Chinese and Russian ships. This selective passage has created a massive maritime traffic jam, with hundreds of vessels, including fully-laden supertankers, piling up in the Persian Gulf, unable or unwilling to cross.

The situation contradicts expectations that a recent US-Iran ceasefire would unblock the strait. Instead, traffic has slowed further since a brief weekend uptick. Despite the truce taking effect, only a handful of ships—reportedly just nine out of roughly 800 vessels trapped in the Gulf—have been observed passing through the narrow waterway in recent days. This selective transit policy effectively turns the strait into a geopolitical lever, granting passage as a privilege rather than a right of free navigation.

The growing backlog directly challenges the ceasefire's stated conditions. The US has explicitly said the truce is conditional on Iran unblocking Hormuz. With the strait still functionally closed to most commercial traffic, the stage is set for a swift collapse of negotiations. The immediate risk is a prolonged stranding of global energy supplies, applying intense pressure on oil markets and testing the durability of the fragile diplomatic pause. The standoff underscores Iran's willingness to wield control over the strait as a core strategic asset, regardless of diplomatic agreements.