The US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that to restore the transit of ships through the Strait of Hormuz, it is not necessary to neutralize all the mines that have been installed — it is enough to create a safe corridor for movement.
He said this on the sidelines of the Three Seas Initiative summit and business forum, Bloomberg writes.
"All you need is a passage so that ships can come in and go out. I think it can be done quickly," Wright noted.
According to him, Iran mined the busiest routes of the strait, through which almost a fifth of the worldʼs oil and gas supplies previously passed.
The AP, citing Pentagon sources, wrote that complete demining could take up to six months. Officials provided this information during a closed briefing before the House Armed Services Committee.
The Strait of Hormuz and the US naval blockade of Iranian ports
Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz after US and Israeli attacks on the country in late February. Markets reacted immediately, with oil, gas and precious metals rising in price.
On April 11, American warships entered the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the start of the war: the destroyers Frank E. Peterson and Michael Murphy. The American military said that their task was to clear the water area of Iranian mines and form a new route for ships.
However, on April 12, President Donald Trump reported that the United States had blocked the Strait of Hormuz. According to him, no ship would be able to pass through it until the United States and Iran reach an agreement on complete freedom of passage for all. And on April 13, the United States began a naval blockade of Iranian ports.
On April 17, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reported that the Strait of Hormuz had been opened amid a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. On April 18, Iran reported that it was again blocking the Strait of Hormuz due to the US naval blockade.
On the same day, Iran fired on several ships trying to pass through the strait. At the same time, the WSJ wrote that as part of the expansion of naval operations, the US plans to search and seize vessels associated with Iran around the world.
Therefore, on April 20, the US intercepted the Iranian-flagged cargo ship Touska in the Gulf of Oman. On April 21, the US military intercepted the M/T Tifani in the Indian Ocean, and on April 23, the oil tanker M/T Majestic X.
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