An adviser to Iran's Revolutionary Guards has stated that routes in the Strait of Hormuz deemed illegal by Tehran will soon be closed, specifically targeting the southern pathway adjacent to Oman's coast.
Mohammadreza Naqdi informed the semi-official Fars News Agency that these "few routes," allegedly created by damaging rocky passages, are used by small boats engaged in oil smuggling and transfers to tankers. He challenged the assertion that oil exports from the Persian Gulf are recovering to pre-war levels.
"The Strait of Hormuz is closed, and the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have full control over it. This situation will continue until Iran’s legitimate demands are met," Naqdi stated. This comes despite provisional data from Kpler showing a seven-day moving average for crude exports from the region at 18.3 million barrels per day as of September 30, with volumes exceeding pre-war levels on 14 days in September.
These figures encompass Gulf oil transported via the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea, and from terminals and ship-to-ship transfers within the Gulf of Oman. Another adviser to the IRGC, Majid Mirahmadi, claimed on Thursday that an average of only 10 ships transit the waterway daily, compared to an average of 125 before the conflict began on February 28.
The IRGC has consistently disputed claims that seaborne crude flows through the strait are increasing, attributing this to assistance from the US Navy. Despite the apparent rise in oil flows during September, Iran's attacks on tankers and logistical challenges have persisted, raising doubts about the sustainable continuation of higher export volumes.
