Three supertankers carrying 6 million barrels of Middle East crude resumed crossing the strategic Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, signalling tentative hopes for stability in global oil flows as US President Donald Trump indicated he was prepared to give Iran a few more days to respond to Washington’s latest proposal aimed at ending the conflict.
Reuters, quoting shipping data from LSEG and Kpler, said the vessels, which had remained stranded in the Gulf for more than two months, were finally transiting the vital waterway toward Asian markets, while another supertanker was entering the Strait.
The departures came as Iran eased restrictions on maritime traffic and confirmed that commercial shipping through the Hormuz corridor was continuing under the coordination of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy.
Iran’s IRGC said 26 vessels, including oil tankers, container ships and commercial cargo vessels, had passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours under its coordination and protection.
“Transit through the Strait of Hormuz is conducted only after receiving permission and in coordination with the IRGC Navy,” the force said in a statement.
The movement of the tankers marks one of the clearest signs yet of a possible de-escalation in tensions that have disrupted one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints since the outbreak of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran in late February.
Trump said Washington was still pursuing a diplomatic outcome and suggested there remained a window for peace if Tehran responded positively.
“We have received US views and are reviewing them,” Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei was quoted as saying by state media on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said he was willing to wait briefly for Iran’s response but warned the United States was prepared to act if talks failed. “Believe me, if we don't get the right answers, it goes very quickly. We're all ready to go,” Trump said. Asked how long he would wait, he replied: “It could be a few days, but it could go very quickly.”
Earlier, Trump reiterated that Washington would not allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon but said he hoped a deal could avert further bloodshed.
“Ideally, I'd like to see few people killed, as opposed to a lot,” he said.
Separately, US Central Command said American forces boarded the Iranian-flagged commercial tanker M/T Celestial Sea in the Gulf of Oman on Wednesday after suspecting it had breached a U.S. blockade. The vessel was later released after a search, and its crew was instructed to alter course toward an Iranian port.
