Sanctioned tankers break into the Persian Gulf: a challenge to the effectiveness of the US naval blockade

Despite the restrictions announced by the United States on the maritime transportation of Iranian oil, at least two supertankers were able to enter the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz. These are the RHN and Alicia vessels, which were previously involved in the transportation of Iranian raw materials and, according to analytical services, continue to move to their destination ports.

The situation calls into question the effectiveness of the declared maritime blockade, introduced after the failure of negotiations between the United States and Iran. Although the American Central Command reported full control over shipping and the turnback of some tankers, the actual passage of sanctioned ships indicates the existence of gaps in monitoring and deterrence mechanisms.

From a legal point of view, the incident raises the issue of the application of secondary sanctions that Washington threatens buyers of Iranian oil. Such measures may be extraterritorial in nature and affect a wide range of international trade entities, which, in turn, increases the risks for shipowners, insurers and port operators.

Analysts note that even in the event of increased control, Iran is able to temporarily compensate for the restrictions by accumulating oil in storage. At the same time, further development of the situation will depend on the results of new negotiations and the willingness of the parties to compromise.