Iran has allowed some Chinese ships passage through the Strait of Hormuz after holding discussions with China’s foreign minister and ambassador, Iran’s IRGC owned semi-official state news agency Fars reported on Thursday.
Iran has been charging vessels tolls in exchange for passage through the critical waterway, though the Fars News report did not mention whether the Chinese ships had to pay any money.
The Chinese linked crude oil tanker Yuan Hua Hu traversed the strait laden with Iraqi oil Wednesday.
While the ship is yet to make it past the heavy US Navy blockade of Iranian ports located off the coast of Oman, it is moving swiftly along the route and is headed towards China.
According to a report by Iran’s state-owned IRIB state TV on Thursday, more than 30 ships were allowed to pass through the strait since Wednesday night “in coordination with our country’s authorities and maritime agencies.”
“With this, we can say that a new era has begun in the Strait of Hormuz,” said an IRIB correspondent, “because now many sailors and countries of the world know that the best, fastest, and easiest way to pass through this very important and strategic waterway is only through coordination with the IRGC Navy.”
Additionally, the UK MTO, a maritime agency, reported Thursday that a ship had been boarded and taken by “unauthorised personnel” while at anchor off the UAE’s Fujairah coast area. The vessel, as per personnel, was headed for Iran.
