A Turkish-owned vessel that had been waiting near Iran has been permitted to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after authorities in Tehran approved, Turkey's Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said.
Speaking to Turkish media, Uraloglu said Ankara had issued the highest-level security alert for the strait. He added that discussions with Iranian officials were continuing regarding the remaining Turkish-owned ships in the area.
According to Uraloglu, a total of 15 Turkish-owned vessels were near the Strait of Hormuz. One of them was cleared to move after receiving permission from Iranian authorities.
"Fifteen ships (with Turkish owners) were there; we obtained permission from the Iranian authorities for one of them, which had used an Iranian port, and it passed," Uraloglu said.
The Turkish Transport Ministry later confirmed that the ship allowed to cross the strait was the Rozana.
He also added that several vessels remain anchored nearby.
"Six of them are cruise ships waiting together with their passengers," the minister added.
The ministry said that Turkish-owned vessels in the region collectively have 171 personnel on board.
Earlier on Wednesday, Uraloglu addressed reporters ahead of a parliamentary group meeting of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), stating that authorities were in touch with the crews.
"There are 15 Turkish-owned ships in the Strait of Hormuz. We are in contact with all their personnel," he said.
"They are at a waiting point. Their only difficulty is being there; otherwise, there is no problem in meeting their needs," he added.
This comes as the ongoing US-Israeli war with Iran has effectively halted movement through the Strait of Hormuz, leaving many tankers and other vessels stranded.
Iran reportedly shut down the Strait of Hormuz around March 1. The narrow waterway is one of the world's most important energy routes, typically handling about 20 million barrels of oil shipments each day and roughly 20 per cent of global liquefied natural gas trade.
In his first statement since taking office, Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said the strait must remain closed as leverage against the United States and warned that attacks in the region would continue.
His message was read by a news anchor on state television on Thursday, and he did not appear on camera.
He warned that US military bases could face attacks if they remain active in the region.
"I recommend that they close those bases as soon as possible, because they must have realised by now that the claim of establishing security and peace by America was nothing more than a lie," he said.
The Iranian leader also vowed retaliation for those killed during the conflict and said the country would seek compensation from its enemies.
"A limited amount of this revenge has so far taken concrete form, but until it is fully achieved, this case will remain among our priorities," he said.
