Iranian Tankers Cross US Blockade Ahead of Doha Deal

Three Iranian tankers – Diona, Hero II and Sonia I – have crossed the US‑designated blockade line in the Gulf of Oman, carrying a combined 3.8 million barrels of crude oil, according to MarineTraffic data.

The ships left Chabahar port on Tuesday and were seen stepping past the line that separates the Gulf from the Arabian Sea. Diona turned on its AIS just after crossing, while Hero II and Sonia I had been broadcasting their positions as they sailed through the blockade.

The move follows Donald Trump’s Sunday announcement that the blockade would be lifted “immediately,” although US naval forces confirmed it would stay in effect until a new deal with Iran is signed, expected on Friday in Switzerland.

Senior analyst Michelle Wiese Bockman of Windward Maritime Intelligence said the ships’ movement is a sign that Iran believes the blockade is effectively over, even if the U.S. insists otherwise.

All three vessels are owned by the National Iranian Tanker Company, a US‑sanctioned entity, and carry oil that has not been exported since the sanctions were imposed. Their departure marks the first potential export for Iran in two months, according to TankerTrackers.com.

The US has warned that enforcement of the blockade could occur outside the Gulf, and earlier this year it intercepted a sanctioned tanker, Tifani, more than ten days after leaving the Gulf.

Maritime‑tracking data shows that other Iranian‑linked ships have become more active since the announcement of the deal, including two more NITC tankers sailing along the Strait of Malacca, and an unladen tanker, Stream, circling off Karachi since May 8.

If the tankers reach their intended destinations, the activity will reflect Iran’s quick return to the maritime economy as tensions in the region calculate toward a resolution with the West.