Is the strait open or not? The signals are unclear, but regardless of what Iran says, there are more signs that more and more oil is making its way out of the Persian Gulf.
US Vice President JD Vance said on Monday that the strait is open, while commenting on negotiations with Iran. Bloomberg news agency reports that on Saturday oil tankers passed through the Strait of Hormuz carrying 17 million barrels of oil, based on data from US Central Command. That is almost equal to the levels before the start of the war.
Admittedly, the data is difficult to verify. It is usually possible to track ships via identification systems, but many have their transponders turned off for fear of being detected.
On Monday, the Joint Maritime Information Center lowered the threat level to "moderate," according to Bloomberg.
As a result, oil prices have fallen further, to $78.50.
