Middle East Crisis Strait of Hormuz

Ships moved towards the strait – but turned back

The first ships that were on their way out of the Persian Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz have suddenly turned back and started returning, reports Danish TV2.

– The question is whether they were just testing their way through, because no ships have traveled through the strait yet, says the channel's foreign editor Mads Buur Bach.

According to Reuters, about 20 ships began moving towards the strait on Friday evening, hours after Iran announced that it had opened.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and several shipping companies have said that they are waiting and investigating the situation more closely.

As for possible mines in the strait, the situation is unclear. The US Navy says it has no overview and is urging sailors to consider avoiding the area.

Donald Trump has given completely opposite messages in a short time. First, he stated that all mines have already been cleared, and then that the US and Iran are still working to clear them.

Iran: Break the blockade - otherwise we will close the strait again

Iran will close the Strait of Hormuz again unless the US breaks its blockade of Iranian ships, an Iranian government source told the state-run Fars news agency according to Reuters.

Donald Trump previously announced that the US blockade will remain in place until a peace agreement is completely clear.

“This process should go very quickly because most of the points have been negotiated,” he writes.

According to sources to Axios, Iran and the US are negotiating a three-way peace proposal. One of the points is said to be that the US will release frozen Iranian assets worth $20 billion in exchange for Iran giving the US all of its enriched uranium.

However, Trump claims that Iran has agreed to give up the uranium without compensation.

The US Navy is also issuing a warning to shipping companies that it is unclear whether there are mines left in the Strait of Hormuz, and that ships should consider avoiding passage, according to Reuters.

Trump has given two different statements in a short time – that all mines have already been cleared, and that they are being cleared.