Three Iranian tankers laden with crude oil have sailed past the US naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman, ship-tracking data shows, in a clear sign that Tehran believes the blockade is effectively over despite Washington insisting it remains in force.
The tankers – Diona, Hero II and Sonia I – crossed the US blockade line, which stretches from the eastern tip of Oman to the coast of Iran, in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Two were broadcasting their locations as they passed; the third switched on its tracker just beyond the line.
“Three Iranian tankers carrying 3.8m barrels of crude have passed the US blockade in the Gulf of Oman, data shows.”
President Donald Trump announced on Sunday the “immediate removal” of the blockade of Iranian ports, but US naval forces later confirmed it would remain in effect until a deal with Iran is signed, expected in Switzerland on Friday.
Michelle Wiese Bockman, senior analyst at Windward Maritime Intelligence, told BBC Verify: “This a sign that Iran is confident the blockade is over, even if the US has insisted it will be in place until Friday.”
All three vessels are owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC), which has been sanctioned by the US Treasury, along with the ships themselves. Iran has been subject to long-term US sanctions over fears it is developing nuclear weapons, its support for groups Washington designates as terrorist organisations, and alleged human rights abuses.
Data from MarineTraffic shows Hero II and Sonia I left Iran’s Chabahar port on Tuesday, where several other Iranian tankers are currently anchored. Diona began broadcasting its location just past the blockade line yesterday.
Windward says this is the first time any of these tankers have broadcast their locations since March. If they reach their destination, they will be Iran’s first oil exports for two months, according to TankerTrackers.com. The three ships are carrying a combined total of 3.8 million barrels of crude oil. They are not currently broadcasting their planned destinations.
The US blockade has cut Iran’s crude exports to the lowest amount in six years – 260,000 barrels per day in May, less than a fifth of the 2025 average of 1.67 million barrels per day, according to maritime intelligence firm Kpler.
The US had said early in its blockade that enforcement could happen outside the Gulf region, and BBC Verify has previously covered American forces intercepting Iran-linked vessels in the Indian Ocean, thousands of miles from the Gulf.
Another crude oil tanker owned by NITC, Stream, stopped broadcasting its location just before the US blockade line and appears to be sailing towards Iran. The unladen tanker had been circling off the Pakistani port of Karachi since 8 May.
Since the announcement of the US deal with Iran, Iranian-linked tankers and cargo ships have become noticeably more active globally, according to the campaign group.