The UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO) has temporarily halted its operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz. This decision followed an incident where a cargo vessel reported being hit by a projectile near Oman. British navy agency UKMTO confirmed the attack, which occurred hours after Tehran warned vessels against using unapproved routes.
Two US officials told Reuters that Iran was responsible for firing on the ship, identified as the Singapore-flagged Ever Lovely. A security source suggested it was likely targeted by a drone. Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority stated that safe passage would not be guaranteed for vessels outside its designated routes. The IMO's Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez explained that the pause was necessary to reconfirm safety guarantees for ships on their evacuation list and in the region.
This incident has raised concerns about the viability of a preliminary deal aimed at ending the Iran war and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint that previously handled a fifth of the world's daily oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. Benchmark oil prices rose 2% following reports of the attack, as analysts worried about the potential impact on Gulf oil flows. The attack prompted the IMO to suspend efforts to evacuate approximately 600 ships and their crews trapped in the region since the war began on February 28.
The attack on the vessel occurred despite a week-old interim peace deal, or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), between Washington and Tehran. This agreement called for immediate steps to allow commercial shipping to resume gradually through Hormuz and guaranteed a 60-day window of free passage. However, international shipping companies remain hesitant due to unclear instructions, mixed messages from the US and Iran regarding the strait's future management, and a lack of confidence in the durability of the peace efforts.
US President Donald Trump had previously warned that if Iran did not honor the agreement to end the war and reopen the strait, the US might resume bombing the country. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, currently in the Gulf region, reiterated that while the US desires a deal, it will not accept one at any price, specifically rejecting the idea of Iran charging fees for transit through the strait. Iran's Revolutionary Guards had also stated that safe passage would only be possible through Iranian-designated routes, threatening action against non-compliant vessels.
