Photo: EPA
According to The New York Times, Iran cannot fully reopen or normalize traffic through the Strait of Hormuz due to both security risks and technical limitations.
US officials cited in the report say Tehran lacks the capability to detect and safely remove all naval mines that may have been deployed in the waterway. As a result, even if political pressure from Washington increases, Iran cannot guarantee safe passage for ships.
The report notes that Iranian forces may have laid mines using small boats, alongside threats from drones and missile systems, which has already reduced tanker traffic and pushed up global energy prices.
Iran is said to have left only a single controlled shipping route open, where vessels are allowed to pass under restricted conditions, including reported fees. At the same time, officials warn that the exact locations of potential mines are unknown, and some may have drifted, making clearance operations even more difficult.
The US also reportedly lacks sufficient mine-clearing capacity for full-scale operations in the region, relying instead on limited coastal countermeasure vessels, further complicating any rapid reopening of the strait.
