At least five Iran-flagged vessels run US blockade line
- Three of the five confirmed as state-owned NITC tankers, carrying what could be as much as 5m barrels of crude oil combined
- A containership and a bulker also transited out of the Gulf of Oman, breaching the US‑enforced line between June 16–17
- Exits precede MOU between Washington and Tehran that reportedly will allow Iran to sell oil
- US Navy insists its blockade remains active and enforceable through boardings or “destructive fires” pending any agreement
After months of restricted movements and a increasingly tight US blockade on Iranian ports, the three exits are a significant step, but the US has seized tankers far away from the blockade line in the recent past
