Iran has exempted ships from India, China, Iraq and Qatar from its transit restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, according to an Iranian lawmaker. The move comes as the US naval blockade of Iranian ports continues to squeeze the country's export flows.
Iran's parliament has exempted India, China, Iraq and Qatar from its oil transit restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz. Ahmad Hayat-Moghaddam, Vice Chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, announced the change on Tuesday. It arrives while Iranian export flows struggle under a US naval blockade of the country's ports that has lasted many months.
Tehran explains each exemption
Hayat-Moghaddam told the Iranian Student's News Agency that each exemption has its own reason. According to him: "Ships from these countries pass freely." He said India's exemption was designed to facilitate medicine imports into Iran, while China's aims to secure political backing from Beijing.
However, the lawmaker also said Iran does not levy transit tolls on Qatari vessels. He claimed the US Navy does not interfere with these ships either, which could explain how Iran has kept getting crude oil and other goods to global markets despite the blockade.
Attacks slow as US politics shift
October saw a record number of Iranian attacks on commercial vessels, but the near-daily pace seems to have slowed for now. Media attention on Iran has also faded as the US midterm elections and Democratic gains took over the news.
President Trump has held off on earlier threats to resume a major bombing campaign after the midterms, though that option remains on the table. The Democratic sweep and coming control of the House and Senate might make renewed major war a more distant possibility.
Source: Oilprice.com
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