Three Iranian tankers loaded with crude oil slipped past U.S. military blockade in Gulf of Oman . Identified as Diona,Hero II,and Sonia I,they belong to National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC),under U.S. sanctions.
Hero II and Sonia I left Iran's Chabahar port Tuesday. Diona began broadcasting location just after crossing blockade line into Arabian Sea early Wednesday. First instance since March Iranian tankers have shared locations. Tehran seems bolder about the blockade now.
President Trump's Sunday announcement mentioned "immediate removal" of blockade,yet U.S. naval forces later said it stays until deal with Iran finalizes,expected Friday in Switzerland. Michelle Wiese Bockman from Windward Maritime Intelligence noted Iranian tankers act like blockade's over,despite U.S. claims otherwise .
These tankers carry 3.8 million barrels of crude,yet destinations undisclosed . U.S. blockade hit Iran's crude exports hard,down to 260,000 barrels daily in May. In 2025,it was 1.67 million barrels daily.
U.S. has enforced blockade even beyond Gulf,intercepting Iranian vessels in Indian Ocean. Like Tifani, captured over ten days post-Gulf departure. Meanwhile,another NITC tanker,Stream,nears blockade line after circling near Karachi since May 8.
Since U.S.-Iran deal announcement,Iranian-linked tankers and cargo ships ramped up global activity. Two more NITC tankers,Dan and Sinopa,started broadcasting positions in Strait of Malacca Tuesday,after vanishing from public tracking since early April. Now heading back to Iran.
Bockman said,"Iran is wasting no time getting its tankers back into circulation," as Iranian maritime activity picks up. Situation fluid…as negotiations continue and geopolitics shift.
