- Negotiations between the US and Iran show little progress amid ongoing conflict concerns
- US forces have helped at least 70 vessels cross the Strait of Hormuz in the past three weeks
- Most vessels used "dark passages" by turning off transponders to avoid detection
Negotiations between the United States and Iran are continuing with little to no progress. While the talks go on, one of the biggest impacts has been on the ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz, with the key waterway being blocked by both parties.
According to a report by The New York Times, US forces have now jumped into action. As per officials cited in the report, US forces have helped at least 70 vessels, travelling into and out of the Persian Gulf, cross the strait over the last three weeks.
The US officials said that most of these vessels guided by the military had turned off their transponders, a move known as "dark passages", to avoid detection when they traversed through the narrow waterway.
Officials did not reveal to NYT which route the vessels took to ensure secrecy, but one of them confirmed that at least one route was not close to the Iranian coastline.
The officials also did not disclose how the ships look like. However, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, the US Navy has guided a Greek supertanker carrying two million barrels of crude oil.
Why Ships Are Using 'Dark Passage'
Since the war started, ships passing near Iran without obtaining permits from Iranian authorities face almost a certain threat of being attacked by drones or missiles, the US officials told NYT.
The exact number of ships that have used US guidance cannot be confirmed by shipping analysts since the vessels turn their transponders off.
However, it is nowhere close to the number of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz before the war started in February, which was pegged at around 100 a day. Still, the steady flow indicates that shipowners are ready to take risks to venture in and out of the Persian Gulf, where scores of vessels have been stuck due to the US-Iran conflict.
Photo Credit: Reuters
The US-guided route also serves as an alternative to operators who do not want to obtain Iranian permits or pay a toll to cross the Strait of Hormuz.
In early May, US President Donald Trump had launched Project Freedom to help get ships through the Strait but withdrew it hours later. Since then, the US Central Command has stopped providing naval escort but encouraged ships to cross the strait.
"Though US forces are not escorting, we continue to communicate and coordinate with commercial ships seeking to freely and safely transit the Strait of Hormuz, a critical international corridor for regional and global economies," Central Command spokesperson Capt. Tim Hawkins said in a statement on Saturday.
Where US-Iran Talks Stand
Indirect talks between the US and Iran have continued through mediators but Tehran on Monday suspended negotiations with Washington, Tasnim news agency reported.
This comes amid attacks on Lebanon as efforts to end the three-month-long war continues. The agency said Iran and the Resistance Front, which includes its Shiite allies in Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq, have set an agenda to completely block the Strait of Hormuz and activate other fronts, including the Bab El Mandeb Strait, in order to "punish" Israel and its supporters.
"Violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts. The US and Israel are responsible for the consequences of any violation," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X on Monday, referring to Israeli operations in Lebanon.
