Iran publishes map expanding Strait of Hormuz claims amid sailor blockade

Iran’s publication of a new map asserting control over the Strait of Hormuz risks prolonging the ordeal for thousands of sailors trapped on ships in the Gulf. More than 20,000 mariners are stuck on approximately 2,000 vessels, many unable to leave, lacking adequate food and fresh water, and living in fear in a war zone.

The sailors have endured isolated lives for nearly three months, confined to small groups on their ships, moving between cramped quarters and sunbaked decks. Their plight began after Iran closed the strategic waterway, a critical global oil supply route, following attacks on Iran that began on February 28. With peace negotiations stalled, Iran has intensified the effective blockade. The newly published map from Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority reaffirms Tehran’s claims to a wide stretch of water around the choke point, complicating any potential resolution.

Ship owners seeking to retrieve vessels and cargoes must navigate a complex system of payments and permissions established by Iran. For the sailors, the situation is dire. Mohamed Arrachedi, network coordinator for the Arab World and Iran at the International Transport Workers Federation, stated that...