At least four vessels tracked from Iranian ports, including three US-sanctioned ships (Shabdis, Tava 4, and Azargoun) and a cargo vessel (Ashkan3 25278), have crossed a US blockade line in the Gulf of Oman since it was imposed. These vessels are broadcasting their locations offshore of India and at the port of Karachi in Pakistan, respectively. Additionally, at least three more US-sanctioned tankers with Iranian links have crossed the blockade line without reporting calls at Iranian ports.
The US blockade line, which was established by President Donald Trump and extends from the eastern tip of Oman to Iran's border with Pakistan, applies to all ships regardless of nationality heading to or from Iranian ports. However, the US military's Central Command (Centcom) stated that it had not boarded any ships, despite 14 vessels reportedly turning around to comply with the blockade at the direction of American forces.
Simultaneously, non-Iranian crude oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz saw a significant surge of 50% in the first 10 days of June, reaching 1.8 million barrels per day. This increase indicates Gulf Arab producers, such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Iraq, are ramping up exports to compensate for the halted Iranian shipments, thereby sustaining overall global oil flow volumes. This shift has led to higher import costs for Indian state refiners who previously benefited from discounted Iranian crude.
