Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Mixed signals from the Iranian regime on Saturday forced Indian crude tankers to abruptly turn back, as uncertainty deepened around the vital energy chokepoint amid inconclusive US–Iran negotiations, Bloomberg reported.Confusion emanating from Tehran has left shipowners wary about the safety and status of passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Alongside Indian vessels, several Greek tankers also made U-turns earlier in the day.In a separate incident, at least two merchant ships came under gunfire while attempting to transit the troubled waterway on Saturday, according to Reuters.One of the world’s busiest oil routes has seen severely constrained traffic after seven weeks of heightened tensions, triggered by US President Donald Trump’s “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran and Tehran’s subsequent retaliation.Hopes of partial relief had emerged following a 10-day ceasefire window, linked to parallel de-escalation efforts involving Israel and Lebanon, which prompted some vessels to attempt passage. Trump, who has also claimed credit for halting multiple conflicts, announced the temporary truce.The FPMC C Lord, a very large crude carrier carrying Qatari and Saudi crude, was sailing south of Iran’s Larak island and heading toward the Gulf of Oman around midday on Saturday. Its declared destination was Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates.A handful of other oil carriers are also moving toward the waterway. Earlier in the day, three liquefied petroleum gas carriers and an oil products tanker, some of them under US sanctions, proceeded east into the Gulf of Oman, with a Pakistan-flagged tanker following close behind. Several liquefied natural gas carriers are also approaching the strait.Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that Hormuz was “completely open” to commercial shipping for the duration of a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, offering major relief to global shipowners and energy markets.However, Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency later reported that the passage would remain closed if a US naval blockade continued. Shipowners operating in the Persian Gulf have also reported radio advisories instructing vessels to seek permission before crossing.State-run Nour News said on Saturday that the waterway was “under strict management and control by the armed forces”, but stopped short of explicitly confirming whether the strait had been shut again.Amid the uncertainty, hesitation remained evident. Greek and Indian crude tankers made abrupt U-turns early on Saturday after initially sailing northeast toward Hormuz from waters off Dubai while fully laden. Several vessels are now idling near Iran’s Qeshm island, close to where they reversed course, while another has not transmitted its geolocation for several hours.
