Iranian Tankers Diona, Sonia, Hero II Exit US Navy Blockade Line With 4.8 Million Barrels

At least three Iranian-flagged tankers—Diona, Sonia and Hero II—exited the US Navy’s blockade line east of the Strait of Hormuz, with publicly available maritime tracking data showing that at least 4.8 million barrels of Iranian oil have left the blockade line since Monday.

Al-Monitor reported that the vessels are all owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company, itself under US sanctions, and that a fourth Iranian-flagged NITC vessel, the M/T Stream, had reached the blockade line heading west toward the Gulf of Oman after idling for several weeks in the Arabian Sea.

26 September Net

The New York Post said the tankers recorded passing the US blockade line in the Gulf of Oman starting Tuesday and going into the early hours of Wednesday morning, and it described the combined cargo as 4.8 million barrels of crude oil.

The New York Post also said the three vessels sailed through without employing Tehran’s usual shadow fleet tactics, with the vessels openly broadcasting their location for the first time since March, according to Windward.

Al-Monitor added that on Sunday US President Donald Trump announced he would immediately lift the blockade of Iran’s ports in exchange for Iran halting its threats to shipping via the Strait of Hormuz, while a maritime advisory center warned ships not to cross the blockade line until Friday.

Lloyd’s List Intelligence warned that “the maritime sector is treating the news with something closer to wary disbelief than celebration,” even as the first outbound shipments suggested a shift ahead of a Friday signing ceremony in Geneva.

CNBC quoted Windward’s Michelle Wiese Bockmann saying, “Their apparent departure from the blockade suggests that other Iranian-trading tankers are also preparing to resume trading,” as Kpler data showed Diona and Hero 2 carrying a combined total of 3.8 million barrels and a third tanker carrying 1 million barrels.

@globaltimesnews

CNBC also said the US Navy has reminded the industry that “nothing has changed and will not until the agreement is signed,” and it described the strait as effectively shut during the nearly four-month war.

Al-Monitor reported that signals were mixed when a maritime advisory center contributed to by the US military warned ships not to cross the blockade line, saying that the embargo would remain in place until Friday.

In the same Al-Monitor account, Deputy Iranian Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi said the US had begun to lift its naval blockade ahead of Friday's anticipated signing, with Iranian state media reporting the comment.

The Al-Monitor report said the US and Iran were to formally sign a general framework in Geneva Friday that would pause the war for an additional 60 days to allow for a return to diplomatic negotiations, with the US planning sanctions waivers expected to begin Friday.

“According to Washington, delaying the release of the document also depends on internal Iranian dynamics”

Agenzia Nova

Al-Monitor also said a US official cautioned that “This is a performance-based agreement,” adding that Iran can only access benefits if it abides by points including “no nuclear weapon” and “not interfering with the free flow of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.”

Euronews reported that the naval blockade began on 13 April and targeted all vessels entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, and it said the TankerTrackers monitoring site identified Diona and Hero2 exiting the blockade line carrying a total of 3.8 million barrels between them.

Euronews further said Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told that the two sides reached a deal and “declared the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon,” while also stating an official signing ceremony would take place on Friday, 19 June in Switzerland.

In the same Euronews account, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called for Trump to publish the agreement in full, writing: “Trump must hold a classified meeting on his so-called 'understanding' with Iran,” and warning that “Americans need to know how and when this war will truly end.”