AP Explains: Oil tankers use new route through Strait of Hormuz despite Iranian threats

(25 Jun 2026) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Dubai, United Arab Emirates - 25 June 2026 ++STARTS ON SOUNDBITE++ 1. SOUNDBITE (English) Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press: "A new route for ships to get through the Strait of Hormuz appears to be getting tankers out to the open seas. Today, a series of tankers, led by one called the Stoic Warrior, left the Persian Gulf and followed the coastlines of the United Arab Emirates and then later Oman, going around the Masandam Peninsula before heading into the Gulf of Oman. Now, Iran has been very upset about this. Its Revolutionary Guard, that paramilitary force, which wields so much power in the country, had told ships that only it could authorize them to leave the Strait of Hormuz, but this new route that's been opened with Oman, as well as the United Nations agency known as the International Maritime Organization, is allowing these ships to get out. We have seen an uptick in the number of ships getting out, the highest numbers ever actually, with some 70 getting out in the last day or so, and that's nowhere near what it was before the war. But it's showing that things are kind of getting back to normal. Now there's a lot of things that could go wrong. The tensions between the United States and Iran remain high, even with this interim deal having been signed to try to seek a permanent end to the war, and meanwhile we are also seeing global crude oil prices drop. They touched briefly to pre-war levels today, just showing how much the markets believe that the worst is over, but there are still a lot of challenges ahead." ASSOCIATED PRESS Strait of Hormuz - 24 June 2026 2. Various of vessels seen at sea in the Strait of Hormuz STORYLINE: Several tankers have made their way out of the Strait of Hormuz using a new route promoted by a U.N. maritime agency. Iran has threatened vessels using the path, which runs along the coast of Oman. The opening of an alternative passage would relieve pressure on the world economy and remove Iran’s main source of leverage in the ongoing talks about the interim peace deal signed with the United States last week. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warned vessels against using the new route. The Associated Press' Jon Gambrell explains more. =========================================================== Clients are reminded to adhere to all listed restrictions and to check the terms of their licence agreements. For further assistance, please contact the AP Archive on: Tel +44(0)2074827482 Email: [email protected]. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...