Iran News

"Since the beginning of the Iran war, global seaborne crude oil shipments have fallen 16% compared to the first nine weeks of 2026, according to Signal Ocean data. This represents a reduction of 7.6 million barrels per day (mbdp) to 38.4 mbpd. Coincidentally, shipments during the past six weeks have likewise been 16% lower than during the same period last year,” says Niels Rasmussen, Chief Shipping Analyst at BIMCO.Before the Iran war, the U.S. Energy Information Administration had estimated global 2026 oil production to be 79.9 mbpd.

The U.S. military on Monday detailed the boundaries of its Strait of Hormuz blockade, saying it would extend east to the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, while ship-tracking data showed two ships turned around in the strait as the blockade went into effect.In a note to seafarers about the blockade that seeks to take control of the strait away from Iran, the U.S. Central Command said: "Any vessel entering or departing the blockaded area without authorization is subject to interception…

President Donald Trump said on Sunday the U.S. Navy would start blockading the Strait of Hormuz, raising the stakes after marathon talks with Iran failed to reach a deal to end the war, jeopardizing a fragile two-week ceasefire.The U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces would begin implementing the blockade of all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports at 10 a.m. ET (1400 GMT) on Monday.It would be "enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas…

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday about the need for a plan to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz "as quickly as possible," following a U.S. ceasefire with Iran, Downing Street said.Starmer discussed with Trump the UK's efforts to convene partners to agree to a "viable plan" on restoring freedom of navigation in the waterway."They agreed that now there is a ceasefire in place and agreement to open the Strait, we are at the next stage of finding a resolution…

Shippers said on Wednesday they needed more clarity on the terms of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire before resuming transit through the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran issued fresh warnings about any vessels attempting to sail through the waterway.The six‑week conflict had brought traffic through the strait - a chokepoint for about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments - close to a standstill, pushing global energy prices sharply higher.Iran said it would offer safe passage in coordination with its armed forces…

China and Russia on Tuesday vetoed a U.N. resolution encouraging states to coordinate efforts to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, calling the measure biased against Iran, while Washington's ambassador to the world body called on "responsible nations" to join the U.S. in securing the waterway.The 15-member Security Council voted 11 in favor of the resolution presented by Bahrain, with two against - China and Russia - and two abstentions.U.S. President Donald…

U.S. President Donald Trump's move allowing foreign-flagged cargo ships to move fuel and other goods between domestic ports has so far had little impact on American oil supply, according to trade data and analysts who noted that U.S. refiners and shippers are earning more profits sending fuel overseas.Last month, Trump waived Jones Act limitations for 60 days starting March 17, hoping the move would help tame the surge in fuel prices caused by the Iran war by increasing shipments from the U.S.

An oil tanker loaded with Iraqi crude passed through the Strait of Hormuz close to the Iranian coast, a day after Iran said Iraq was exempt from any restrictions to transit the vital sea route, data from LSEG and Kpler showed.The Ocean Thunder loaded about 1 million barrels of Basrah Heavy crude on March 2 and is expected to discharge its cargo in Malaysia's Pengerang, in mid-April, Kpler data showed.The tanker - which the data showed was chartered by Petco, a unit of Malaysian state energy firm Petronas - is among seven Malaysia-linked vessels cleared by Iran to transit the strait…

Front-month U.S. crude oil futures were trading at their largest-ever premium over the second-month contract on Thursday as traders scrambled for barrels after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to continue attacking Iran.Widening backwardation, the market term for immediate deliveries trading at a premium over barrels scheduled for delivery in a later month, suggests investors perceive supplies will be short in the near-term.WTI crude futures for May delivery were trading around $15.70 per barrel higher than the June contract during the session.The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran…

China will at one point have to engage more directly on how to restore oil traffic flows in the Strait of Hormuz because the number of vessels it has going through is probably insufficient, France's navy chief said on Wednesday."We have not seen China’s navy step in to reopen the strait. On the other hand, there is direct political dialogue between Chinese and Iranian authorities to ensure that a certain number of vessels can pass. Will that be enough to restore normal traffic flows?

The U.S. and Israeli war against Iran has changed the global market for liquefied natural gas (LNG), providing a boost to producers outside the Middle East that will likely last long after the current conflict ends.One of the major beneficiaries is Australia, which last year slipped to the third-largest exporter of the super-chilled fuel behind the United States and Qatar.But the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz has shut off Qatar's LNG exports, meaning that it will likely lose second place back to Australia this year…

The Iran war has threatened Gulf ports and disrupted global trade through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway through which roughly a fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas normally passes.Iran's Revolutionary Guards have warned that ships passing through the narrow Strait will be targeted, after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on the country on February 28.Below is a list of reported attacks:MARCH 1A crew member was killed on board Marshall Islands-flagged crude tanker MKD VYOM after it was hit by a projectile as the vessel sailed off the Omani coast…

Transit through the Strait of Hormuz remains controlled rather than open, but throughput is increasing, according to Windward’s latest intelligence report.On March 30, six AIS-transmitting vessels crossed the corridor, while additional movements likely occurred under partial or fully dark conditions.At the same time, vessel activity at the Iranian city of Bandar Abbas provides visibility into how this system operates in practice. A coordinated pattern is emerging: outbound energy exports continue…

Iran attacked a fully-loaded crude oil tanker at Dubai Port's anchorage on Monday, setting it ablaze and damaging its hull, Kuwait's state news agency reported, citing Kuwait Petroleum Corp, which warned of a possible oil spill.The apparent strike is just the latest in a string of assaults on merchant vessels by missiles or explosive air and sea drones in the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on February 28.U.S. crude futures CLc1 rose more than…

Animals are being transported in their thousands to active conflict areas such as Israel, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia.Animal protection organisations have been calling on the European Commission to suspend the voyages, andtwo petitions have now been established.Animals could be exposed to rocket fire and air strikes, mishandled or abandoned by frightened workers while they remain in small, cramped vehicles, at port.Port closures due to conflict happen frequently, leading to animals being left adrift at sea for up to weeks in growingly desperate circumstances.

The trade of global fertilizer and ammonia faces intense pressure due to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz as diplomatic talks between the US and Iran remain uncertain. Rystad Energy’s 2025 trade mapping shows that the sale of 15% of global ammonia and 21% of urea, which is used as a high-nitrogen fertilizer, are tied to exporters potentially impacted by the closure. This includes leading producers Saudi Arabia and Qatar, followed by Kuwait, Bahrain, the UAE, Iran and Iraq.

Pakistan said on Sunday it was preparing to host "meaningful talks" to end the conflict over Iran in coming days even though Tehran earlier accused Washington of preparing a land assault while seeking negotiations.Speaking after talks between regional foreign ministers, Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said they had covered possible ways to bring an early and permanent end to the war in the region as well as potential U.S.-Iran talks in Islamabad."Pakistan will be honored to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in coming days…

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement, whose attacks on the Red Sea caused international shipping and trade chaos during the Gaza war, stands ready to strike the key waterway again in solidarity with Tehran, one Houthi leader told Reuters, a move that would deepen a global oil and economic crisis brought on by the Middle East war.If the Houthis open a new front in the conflict, one obvious target would be the Bab al-Mandab Strait off the coast of Yemen, a key shipping chokepoint…

Supply disruptions linked to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran could delay construction of liquefied natural gas projects slated for development in the U.S., Freeport LNG CEO Michael Smith said on Wednesday at the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston.The U.S. is the world’s largest LNG exporter and has more new capacity under construction than any other country.Smith said the conflict’s impact could extend beyond oil and gas supply chains, affecting key materials such as steel and…

India has bought its first cargo of Iranian liquefied petroleum gas in years after the U.S. temporarily removed sanctions on Tehran's oil and refined fuels, LSG trade flows and three industry sources said.India had shunned energy purchases from Iran in 2019 under pressure from Western sanctions. The tanker was initially bound for China, according to LSEG data.Sanctioned tanker Aurora carrying Iranian LPG is expected to shortly reach the west coast port of Mangalore, the sources…

At first glance, the Iran war appears to be hitting oil and gas with equal force, as missiles, drone strikes and shipping disruptions choke flows through the Strait of Hormuz.But beneath that surface symmetry lies a critical imbalance. The global gas supply chain has fewer rerouting options and less storage capacity than the oil market - making the fallout for gas consumers considerably more acute.Key gas infrastructure - liquefaction plants in particular - is more complex and expensive to build and repair than the oil equivalent.

Two tankers bound for India sailed through the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, as U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to attack Iran’s power plants unless Tehran drops threats that have effectively closed the Gulf.Gulf nations including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have seen exports blocked since the war in Iran began on February 28 and Tehran launched attacks on ships and threatened any passing through the Gulf’s southern strait.The two India-flagged tankers were carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) used mostly for cooking in India.

Bahrain has put forward a draft United Nations Security Council resolution that would authorise countries to use "all necessary means" - diplomatic language for force - to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, according to a text seen by Reuters on Monday.Diplomats said the draft text was backed by other Gulf Arab states and the United States, although they said it was unlikely to succeed.The move underscores mounting concern in the region that Iran could continue to threaten the Strait of Hormuz…