✓ verbatim from the press ? no verbatim passage
Your Saudi oil shipment got stuck in the Persian Gulf one more day — because of a rule that wasn't in the agreement. Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA) required on Friday, June 19, that all vessels submit transit requests with 48-hour advance notice, one day after the Memorandum of Understanding signed between Iran and the United States promised "commercial vessel traffic will immediately start." The MOU, publicly read on June 18, promises safe passage with no charge for 60 days while Iran removes mines and military obstacles within 30 days. ✓
Press quotes (2)
"A autoridade marítima iraniana responsável pelo estreito de Ormuz exigiu, na sexta-feira 19, que todos os navios que desejem atravessá-lo apresentem um pedido de trânsito com 48 horas de antecedência, apesar da reabertura na esteira do acordo-quadro entre Irã e Estados Unidos para pôr fim à guerra."
"Point 5: Upon the signing of this MOU, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days, only from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa. The traffic of commercial vessels will immediately start, and considering the need for removing the tactical and military obstacles and de-mining by the Islamic Republic of Iran will be instated within 30 days."
Point 5 of the Islamabad Memorandum does not mention an advance notice requirement. According to the text published by Pakistani newspaper Dawn, Iran committed to "make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa" and that "the traffic of commercial vessels will immediately start and, considering the need for removing the technical and military obstacles and de-mining by the Islamic Republic of Iran, will be instated within 30 days." The PGSA, in turn, published a binding directive requiring 48-hour advance notice to website PGSA.ir or email info@PGSA.ir, and informed that "during the 60-day period, tariffs for security, safety, and environmental services, as well as related Iranian insurances, will not be collected from shipowners and will be borne by the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran." ?
Press quotes (2)
"Upon the signing of this MOU, the Islamic Republic of Iran will make arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days only from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa. The traffic of commercial vessels will immediately start and, considering the need for removing the technical and military obstacles and de-mining by the Islamic Republic of Iran, will be instated within 30 days."
"The agency mandated an 'essential' 48-hour pre-arrival notice for all vessels approaching the strategic waterway aim to "avoid delays at the entrance or exit of the Strait". During the 60-day period, tariffs for security, safety, and environmental services, as well as related Iranian insurances, will not be collected from shipowners and will be borne by the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran."
Traffic responded to the contradiction: platform Kpler registered eight raw materials vessel passages on Friday, versus 22 throughout the entire previous day. CartaCapital reported that on Thursday, for the first time since mid-April, at least 25 commercial vessels crossed the strait. About 500 commercial vessels remain detained in the Persian Gulf, according to Jornal GGN, while about 11,000 mariners await safe conditions to leave the region. In normal periods, about 130 vessels crossed the corridor daily. ✓
Press quotes (3)
"Na sexta-feira, no fim da tarde, a plataforma de monitoramento marítimo Kpler registrou oito passagens de navios de matérias-primas pelo estreito de Ormuz, contra 22 ao longo de todo o dia anterior. Ao todo, incluindo os porta-contêineres, pelo menos 25 navios comerciais atravessaram o estreito na quinta-feira."
"Atualmente, aproximadamente 500 navios comerciais permanecem retidos no Golfo Pérsico, enquanto cerca de 11 mil marítimos aguardam condições consideradas seguras para deixar a região."
"Em períodos normais, cerca de 130 embarcações atravessavam diariamente o corredor marítimo."
The Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC), a 47-country coalition, reduced its risk level in the strait on Thursday to "moderate" (level 2 of 5), versus "severe" at the beginning of the week (level 4 of 5). CartaCapital reported that Pakistan's Navy, for the first time since the beginning of the conflict, confirmed on Thursday the presence of a naval mine four kilometers off the coast of Oman, and recommends vessels navigate "with extreme caution." ✓
Press quotes (2)
"O Centro Conjunto de Informação Marítima (JMIC), uma coalizão de segurança marítima formada por 47 países, reduziu na quinta-feira seu nível de risco no estreito para "moderado" (nível 2 em 5), contra "grave" no início da semana (nível 4 em 5)"
"Na quinta-feira, pela primeira vez desde o início do conflito, a Marinha do Paquistão, que coordena a difusão de avisos de segurança marítima na região do estreito, informou sobre a presença confirmada de uma mina naval, a quatro quilômetros da costa de Omã. A Marinha recomenda aos navios na área que naveguem "com extrema prudência"."
Ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains well below normal, with about 500 vessels detained in the Persian Gulf and approximately 11,000 mariners awaiting safe conditions to leave the region, versus a normal flow of about 130 vessels per day.
The Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC) reduced the risk level in the strait from 'severe' (level 4 of 5) to 'moderate' (level 2 of 5) on Thursday, June 19, attributing the improvement to the signing of the MOU between Iran and the US.
Covered by only some sources, or where the accounts diverge.
Covered by only some sources (3)
The PGSA published a new map with two 'safe' navigation routes in the strait, located south of those Tehran had released a few weeks ago.
Pakistan's Navy confirmed for the first time since the beginning of the conflict the presence of a naval mine four kilometers off the coast of Oman, recommending navigation with extreme caution.
Israel conducted military operations in Lebanon after the death of four Israeli soldiers, followed by a ceasefire announced between Israel and Hezbollah, deteriorating the regional environment. An editorial from a news agency linked to the Revolutionary Guard again advocated closing the Strait of Hormuz.
Conflicting versions (1)
Whether the Islamabad MOU permits or requires advance notice for transit through the Strait of Hormuz
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Will Iran fulfill the promise to remove mines within 30 days, or will the 48-hour advance notice requirement remain after the deadline?
Why it's still unknown: The Islamabad MOU establishes a 30-day deadline for de-mining, but does not specify whether administrative procedures such as advance notice will be suspended after that period. The PGSA has not released a timeline for reviewing the rules.
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What is the formal mechanism for dialogue between Iran and Oman on future administration of the Strait, as provided in point 5 of the MOU?
Why it's still unknown: The MOU mentions that Iran 'will conduct dialog with the Sultanate of Oman to define future administration and maritime services in the Strait of Hormuz, in discussion with other Persian Gulf littoral states,' but does not specify format, timelines, or participants of this dialogue. No source reported the start of talks.
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Why was the round of negotiations scheduled for Switzerland postponed, and when will it resume?
Why it's still unknown: CartaCapital and Jornal GGN reported that negotiations scheduled for Friday, June 20 in Switzerland were postponed indefinitely, but no source detailed the reasons for the postponement or whether there is a new scheduled date.
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How many of the 500 detained ships have already submitted transit requests to PGSA under the new 48-hour rule?
Why it's still unknown: The PGSA has not released statistics on requests received, and no source reported data on shipowners' adherence to the new procedure.