The US Department of Defence has now confirmed that the naval blockade of Iran is fully in place and is having a crippling effect on Iran’s economy, which is entirely dependent on maritime transport.
“A good 90 per cent of Iran’s economy is driven by maritime trade,” states Admiral Brad Cooper, head of the US military headquarters CENTCOM.
“In less than 36 hours, our forces have halted all trade entering and leaving Iranian ports,” the admiral writes in a post on X.
İlginizi çekebilir:
Tanker sails unhindered through the Strait of Hormuz
However, several news agencies report that up to six ships have passed through the US blockade, including two ships that have reportedly called at Iranian ports. No evidence has yet been presented to support this.
The MR tanker Rich Starry, which Maritime Denmark reported on yesterday, chose to turn back before reaching the US naval forces enforcing the naval blockade and is now anchored close to the Iranian coast.
The ship is registered in Malawi but is owned by Chinese interests.
On Tuesday, China strongly criticised the US blockade. A spokesperson for the Chinese government described the blockade as dangerous and irresponsible, whilst Chinese President Xi Jinping warned against “returning to the law of the jungle”.
China, which has close ties with Iran, is heavily dependent on oil from the Middle East. More than half of China’s oil consumption is transported through the Strait of Hormuz.
