Iran Announces Alternate Routes For Ships Passing Through Strait of Hormuz Amid 2-Week Truce; Flags Sea Mines Risk

New Delhi: Iran has announced secondary maritime paths for ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the primary shipping lane is currently threatened by sea mines.

This decision follows Tehran's agreement to a brief reopening of the vital channel, a move facilitated by a precarious 14-day truce with Washington.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said in a statement, "All ships intending to transit the Strait of Hormuz are hereby notified that in order to comply with the principles of maritime safety and to be protected from possible collisions with sea mines, they should take alternative routes for traffic in the Strait of Hormuz," as per reports.

The announcement outlines revised navigational routes intended to mitigate risks for merchant vessels transiting the strait, a maritime artery that facilitates the movement of approximately 20% of global oil volumes.

According to Iranian state media, the IRGC Navy has also advised vessels to maintain strict coordination with its units during their transit through the strait.

The suggested navigation paths involve entering from the Sea of Oman and heading north of Larak Island into the Gulf, while exiting ships are directed to pass south of the island before returning to the Sea of Oman.

Is Strait of Hormuz Open?

Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz following joint military strikes by the United States and Israel on February 28, 2026, which targeted Iranian leadership and military infrastructure. 

In the following weeks, Tehran utilized naval mines, drone attacks, and electronic jamming to halt maritime traffic in retaliation for the conflict and continued Israeli strikes on Hezbollah in Lebanon. 

While a fragile two-week ceasefire was recently brokered, Iran has only partially reopened the waterway via alternative routes, citing the persistent danger posed by the sea mines it previously laid in the primary shipping channels.

Ceasefire under strain?

The fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran is currently teetering on the brink of collapse as regional violence escalates. 

Although the truce was intended to provide a diplomatic window, it has been severely undermined by a massive Israeli bombardment of Lebanon that killed over 182 people on Wednesday, marking one of the deadliest days in the conflict. 

While Tehran insists that the cessation of hostilities in Lebanon was a prerequisite for the deal, both President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu have explicitly stated that the agreement does not cover operations against Hezbollah.

In a direct retaliatory move, Iran briefly re-shuttered the Strait of Hormuz before announcing restricted alternative navigation routes, a maneuver the White House has condemned as "completely unacceptable."

Why Hormuz is vital?

The Strait of Hormuz stands as the world’s most critical maritime chokepoint, serving as the indispensable jugular of the global energy trade. 

Connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, this narrow waterway facilitates the transit of approximately 21 million barrels of oil per day, representing nearly one-fifth of the world’s total petroleum consumption. Beyond crude oil, the passage is a vital corridor for nearly 25% of global Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports, primarily from Qatar, making it a cornerstone of energy security for major economies in Asia and Europe.

Geopolitically, the strait’s narrow geography, featuring shipping lanes only two miles wide, grants Iran significant strategic leverage over the global economy. 

For resource-dependent nations like China, India, and Japan, which receive over 85% of the strait's oil flow, any sustained disruption threatens to trigger a massive inflationary shock and a potential global recession. Because regional powers like Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain lack alternative maritime outlets, the Strait of Hormuz remains a high-stakes "veto point" where local military tensions can instantaneously escalate into a worldwide economic crisis.

Also Read: 'Israel Ready To Resume War With Iran' Israeli PM Netanyahu Warns Iran, Says 'Finger on Trigger'