Two more tankers on fire in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran

Two new tankers are on fire in the Strait of Hormuz, after hitting mines while taking “unauthorized routes” by Tehran, the official Iranian agency Irna said on Sunday.

The same agency reported “sounds resembling explosions” during the night from Saturday to Sunday on the island of Qeshm, recently struck by the United States, as well as in Sirik, Jask and Bandar Abbas, in the south of the country, without commenting on the causes of these detonations.

According to IRNA, “two oil tankers in violation of the regulations – one in the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz and the other in the strait itself – caught fire and are currently completely engulfed in violent flames after hitting naval mines while trying to cross via unauthorized routes.” The agency, which does not specify the name or nationality of the vessels, claims that the two tankers had disabled their navigation and positioning systems.

Tehran has made numerous announcements of this type in recent weeks, with Washington on the contrary ensuring that it has largely demined this crucial maritime route.

Iran claims control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's hydrocarbons transited before the war triggered at the end of February by Israeli-American strikes against Tehran. And it regularly targets ships that venture there without its authorization along the Omani coast.

Washington in return imposes a blockade of Iranian ports and escorts tankers along this route, while negotiations between the two countries are at an impasse.