British media: At least 26 Iran-linked shipping vessels break through U.S. military blockade

According to the UK shipping media Lloyd’s List on the 20th, at least 26 ships involved in Iranian shipping have broken through the U.S. military blockade. The report states that since the U.S. military imposed a blockade on ships entering and leaving Iranian ports on the 13th, among the ships that broke through the blockade, 11 oil tankers carrying Iranian goods. Since the U.S. expanded the scope of the blockade on Iranian shipping supplies last week, more than 10 ships have successfully crossed the blockade zone. Additionally, a bulk carrier owned by a Greek shipowner departed from an Iranian port on the 15th and passed through the blockade line on the 19th. Iran announced on the 17th that it would open the Strait of Hormuz to commercial ships, but on the 18th, it announced that, given that the U.S. had not lifted the maritime blockade on Iran, Iran would resume control of the passage through the Strait of Hormuz. On the 19th, U.S. forces forcibly intercepted and took control of an Iranian cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman. The Iranian military accused the U.S. of openly violating the ceasefire agreement. Lloyd’s List previously cited analysts saying that the announcement and implementation of the U.S. blockade policy revealed that it was not a well-thought-out strategy, “its essence is a hasty patchwork as the situation develops.” ( Xinhua News Agency )