TEHRAN, Iran — While Gulf countries and Israel continue to experience missile fire from Iran and Israeli forces retaliated with their own attacks on Tehran, the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to shipping but with some under the flags of countries 'friendly' to Iran being allowed to pass through the strategic waterway.
A total of 34 ships have been approved by Iran to transit the strait recently, using a route around Larak Island just off the country's coast, which has been dubbed as the 'Tehran Toll Booth'.

According to analysts at leading shipping journal Lloyd's List, most of the ships that were allowed to pass were Greek- and Chinese-owned, as well as other Indian-, Pakistani- and Syrian-owned vessels.

However, energy market intelligence firm Kpler identified two container ships belonging to Chinese firm Cosco had attempted to cross the strait but had turned around, "suggest(ing) that the situation remains highly unstable," Kpler data analyst Rebecca Gerdes enthused in a statement.

Meanwhile, Thailand disclosed that it has reached an agreement with Iran "allowing Thai oil tankers to transit safely through the Strait of Hormuz," Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul announced at a press conference.

"With this agreement in place, there is greater confidence that disruptions like those seen in early March will not recur. The development would alleviate concerns over fuel imports," Charnvirakul enthused.

On the other hand, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported that three ships trying to transit the Strait had been stopped as it reiterated that the vital route was closed to vessels traveling to and from ports linked to its 'enemies'.

"Following the lies of the corrupt US president claiming that the Strait of Hormuz was open, three container ships of different nationalities . . . were turned back after a warning," the IRGC stated on their Sepah News website.
"The movement of any vessel 'to and from' ports of origin belonging to allies and supporters of the Zionist-American enemies, to any destination and through any corridor, is prohibited," it added.

The move has raised fresh doubts over which vessels are going to able to transit the strategic waterway, which is a conduit for a fifth of world oil and gas supplies in normal times, as well as other vital products.
More than 80 percent of the crude oil and liquefied natural gas (LNG) that passes through the Strait of Hormuz heads to Asia so much of Southeast Asia is bearing the brunt of fuel supply difficulties as long lines at gasoline stations in Thailand have become increasingly frequent.

In Manila, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is calling on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to initiate negotiations with Tehran, noting that "in light of the ongoing surge in the price of petroleum products, which has already caused significant disruptions on the domestic front, (. . .) the executive department (need) to engage in high-level discussions with Iran to secure safe passage of Philippine-bound oil vessels through the Strait of Hormuz and ensure they are recognized as neutral entities.”

Now on its second month, there are no signs that the conflict would end and Israel's military foresee that it may even expand further as its air defenses responded to a missile launched from Yemen—the first since the start of the war on February 28 and after threats of attacks from Iran's Houthi allies.