The United Nations’ International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has temporarily stopped its evacuation mission for more than 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was attacked while passing through the busy waterway.
Just last week, the US and Iran agreed to end hostilities under a 14-point agreement. One part of the deal said Iran would make its “best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels with no charge for 60 days.” However, Tehran has continued to say it plans to collect maritime service fees.
Tensions around the Strait remain high despite efforts to maintain a ceasefire. Fresh attacks at sea, disagreements over shipping rules, and new diplomatic moves have once again put one of the world’s busiest oil routes in the spotlight. Here are the five biggest developments from June 26.
Iran accused of attacking cargo ship near Strait of Hormuz
According to US officials who spoke to MS Now, as well as several news reports, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) struck a Singapore-flagged cargo ship in or near the Strait of Hormuz. The British military said a vessel was hit by a projectile off the coast of Oman shortly after several tankers had passed through a United Nations-backed evacuation route.
Maritime security company Vanguard identified the vessel as the Singapore-flagged cargo ship Ever Lovely. The company said the ship continued its journey through the Strait of Hormuz despite being hit and did not ask for any assistance.
Following the attack, a UN maritime agency temporarily stopped ship evacuations through the strait, raising fresh worries about the safety of commercial vessels and global oil supplies.
The incident is similar to previous attacks in the region, where ships have faced missiles, gunfire and other threats. Many seafarers continue to sail through the area despite being caught in the middle of tensions involving Iran, the US and Israel.
IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the evacuation has been paused to make sure ships and sailors can travel safely.
Several vessels had already been evacuated before the operation was put on hold. However, Dominguez said the IMO now wants to ensure that the “necessary safety guarantees” remain in place before allowing more ships to leave.
In a statement issued on Thursday, he said the cargo ship that came under attack “did not transit under IMO’s evacuation framework.”
He added, “I have always reiterated that the safety of the seafarers remains paramount. Therefore, to ensure a coordinated approach and navigational safety, the evacuation plan will be paused until further clarity is obtained.”
Iran issues warning on shipping routes
The attack came as Iranian authorities repeated their warning that ships should stay on approved routes while passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA), the body responsible for managing the waterway, said vessels travelling outside designated routes would not be guaranteed safe passage.
In a post on X, the authority said, “Any consequences arising from the use of unauthorised routes shall be the responsibility of the vessel’s owner, operator and master.”
Hundreds of commercial ships and more than 11,000 sailors have been stuck in the Gulf since February because of the US-Israel war against Iran.
Marco Rubio says Iran cannot charge ships to use the Strait
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has rejected Iran’s proposal to charge tolls or fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking during his visit to the UAE and other Gulf countries, Rubio said the waterway is an international shipping route, and no country has the right to collect such charges under international law.
“You can call it a fee. You can call it a toll, call it whatever you want. If you are charging money to use the straits, we won’t support it. We won’t. We won’t tolerate it. We won’t allow it,” he said, warning adversaries to “abandon the fantasy now” because the US will not tolerate it.
Iran has suggested introducing what it calls “maritime service fees” or environmental protection charges. However, many countries see them as indirect tolls. Rubio warned that allowing one country to do this could create problems in other important international waterways as well.
JD Vance announces direct US-IRGC talks in Doha
In a major diplomatic development, US Vice President JD Vance said Washington and Tehran have agreed to set up a direct communication channel between the US Central Command (CENTCOM) and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The meetings will take place in Doha, Qatar, with military officials from both sides talking directly to avoid misunderstandings and reduce the chances of conflict.
Explaining the arrangement, Vance said, “They were like, ‘OK, fine, we’ll send somebody from the IRGC to go hang out in Doha with somebody from CENTCOM,’ and that’s how we’re going to settle a lot of these disputes.”
The new military-to-military channel is expected to help handle incidents such as recent attacks on ships without going through traditional diplomatic channels.
Iran, Oman discuss future of Strait of Hormuz as tensions remain high
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has said he had a “productive” phone call with his Omani counterpart, with both countries agreeing to continue talks on the future management of the Strait of Hormuz.
After the call, Araghchi said Iran and Oman would continue high-level discussions to define the “future administration and maritime services” in the Strait of Hormuz.
The discussions could cover issues such as regulating ship traffic, setting safety rules and overseeing maritime services. Iran has also proposed charging maritime service fees for ships using the strait, although it says these are not tolls.
Oman controls the southern side of the Strait of Hormuz and has long acted as a bridge between Iran and Western countries during periods of tension.