Blockade has successfully stopped Iranian traffic so far, US says

The first 24 hours of a U.S. blockade in the Persian Gulf has successfully stopped all traffic from Iranian ports, the U.S. military claims.

According to information released by U.S. Central Command, “no ships made it past the U.S. blockade and 6 merchant vessels complied with direction from U.S. forces to turn around to re-enter an Iranian port on the Gulf of Oman.”

The blockade applies to the entire Iranian coastline and all Iranian ports. There are at least 12 U.S. warships and more than 100 U.S. aircraft enforcing the action.

Vessels elsewhere in the Gulf and bound to or from non-Iranian ports in the region are not affected by the blockade. CENTCOM says U.S. forces are continue to support freedom of navigation for any such vessels.

RELATED NEWS | Iran reportedly closes Strait of Hormuz as ceasefire agreement remains in peril

The Strait of Hormuz, which is the sole access point for the Persian Gulf, remains effectively closed.

Iran’s state-run Fars News Agency reported closure of the strait last week, less than a day after President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire agreement with Iran.

Experts say global supply chains and domestic prices for energy and other inputs are likely to see continued disruption as long as the strait remains closed. One-fifth of global oil traffic and roughly 30% of global fertilizer stocks move through the waterway during peacetime.