An Indian oil tanker was reportedly turned back from the Omani maritime corridor in the Strait of Hormuz and directed to use a shipping lane designated by Iran instead, according to claims made by Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency.
However, there has been no official confirmation of the reported incident from India or Oman, and the claims could not be independently verified.
According to the Fars report, the tanker attempted to transit through the temporary corridor established along the Omani coast before being instructed to turn back.
The agency claimed that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been issuing radio warnings to vessels seeking to use the Omani route and directing them to instead navigate through a corridor approved by Tehran.
Fars also claimed that ship-tracking data showed all vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday morning used the route designated by Iran. These claims have not been independently verified.
Omani corridor introduced for stranded vessels
The temporary maritime corridor was announced on June 24 by Oman and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to facilitate the movement and evacuation of vessels stranded in the Gulf amid heightened regional tensions. The route, which runs along Oman’s coastline, was expected to operate under US oversight.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most strategically important maritime chokepoints, with nearly a fifth of global oil supplies passing through the narrow waterway. Any disruption to navigation through the strait has the potential to affect global energy markets and shipping.
Despite the claims made by Fars, there was no immediate response from Indian authorities, or the Omani government. The reported incident remains unconfirmed.
Tensions rise after Trump declares ceasefire ‘over’
The reported development comes as tensions between the United States and Iran continue to escalate.
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday declared that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iran was “over”, signalling what he described as the collapse of the fragile ceasefire following a fresh exchange of military strikes in the Gulf.
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Speaking at the opening of the Nato summit in Turkey, Trump accused Iran of violating the ceasefire by targeting commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
He also launched a sharp attack on Iran’s leadership, calling them “liars”, “cheats” and “sick people”, while saying he no longer wished to engage with Tehran.
