Iran has reportedly allowed a limited number of vessels from Pakistan, India, and Turkey to pass through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, even as tensions continue to disrupt one of the world’s most important maritime energy routes.
According to a report by Bloomberg, a Pakistani oil tanker named Karachi departed the Persian Gulf through the strait on Sunday and was heading toward Pakistan.
Iran’s ambassador to India, Mohammad Fateh Ali, said on Saturday that Tehran had permitted several Indian vessels to pass through the strait, a move described as unusual amid ongoing disruptions to global energy shipments.
He did not specify the exact number of ships allowed to cross. However, authorities in New Delhi announced the same day that two Indian-flagged tankers carrying liquefied petroleum gas had successfully crossed the strait and were heading toward ports on India’s western coast.
A Turkish-owned vessel also received clearance to pass through the strait, according to Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, who told reporters that the ship had been waiting near Iranian waters before receiving permission to continue its journey.
Despite the clearance granted to one vessel, officials said 14 other Turkish ships remain waiting near the strait and have not yet been allowed to proceed.
Earlier reports from Reuters indicated that China has also been engaged in discussions with Iran to secure safe passage for oil tankers carrying crude oil as well as ships transporting liquefied natural gas from Qatar.
China, which maintains close relations with Iran and relies heavily on Middle Eastern energy supplies, is reportedly concerned about the disruption caused by restricted shipping through the strait. According to sources cited in the report, about 45 percent of China’s oil imports travel through the Strait of Hormuz.
Meanwhile, the Financial Times reported that officials from France and Italy have also sought discussions with Tehran to ensure safe passage for their vessels.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, said earlier that the Strait of Hormuz remains open but warned that it would be closed to Iran’s enemies and to those who, in his words, carried out “cowardly aggression” against the country.
Speaking again on Monday, Araghchi said the United States was seeking assistance from other countries to keep the vital maritime corridor open.
Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump had called for multinational naval deployments in the Strait of Hormuz, saying that the waterway would soon be made “open, safe and free.”
Araghchi also dismissed reports suggesting that Iran had received messages regarding a ceasefire or negotiations.
“We do not call for a ceasefire,” he said, adding that while the war must eventually end, it should not be allowed to repeat in the future.
The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints, with a significant share of global oil and gas shipments passing through the narrow passage connecting the Persian Gulf to international waters.
