Capitals, May 16 (SANA) The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said Saturday that dozens of commercial vessels had been rerouted or stopped since the start of the U.S.-imposed maritime blockade on Iranian ports, while Iranian state media reported the seizure of a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a post on X, CENTCOM said U.S. forces had ordered 78 commercial ships to return or change course and halted four others as part of efforts to enforce the blockade.
The command also released footage showing a U.S. Army helicopter monitoring commercial shipping near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important energy transit routes.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on April 13 that Washington would impose a blockade on vessels traveling to and from Iranian ports. U.S. officials have since said the measure was aimed at increasing pressure on Tehran and pushing it toward negotiations.
Meanwhile, Iranian state television, quoted by RT, reported Saturday that Iranian authorities had seized a tanker carrying approximately 450,000 barrels of oil in the Strait of Hormuz on accusations of violating Iran’s economic regulations.
According to the report, the vessel allegedly attempted to evade Iranian authorities by changing its identifying markings and concealing its true identity before Iranian forces intercepted it and recovered what state media described as smuggled oil.
Separately, Iraqi Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair said Iraq exported only 10 million barrels of oil through the Strait of Hormuz in April, compared with around 93 million barrels typically exported each month under normal conditions.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Khudair said the sharp decline was linked to the crisis in the strategic waterway and the broader repercussions of the war in the Middle East.
Iraq’s Oil Ministry announced on April 14 that it was prepared to resume exports from all oil fields nationwide, saying increased export activity would help stabilize domestic energy supplies and meet local gas demand.
ABD
