Iran Is Urgently Shipping Out Oil Following Trump's Threats To Impose A Blockade On Its Ports

• 9.07.2026, 21:24

Tanker traffic has picked up.

Over the past 24 hours, Iran has dispatched tankers carrying approximately 11 million barrels of oil amid yet another escalation in tensions with the U.S. and statements by President Donald Trump regarding a possible resumption of the blockade of Iranian ports. This was reported by Bloomberg.

According to ship-tracking data, five supertankers and one Suezmax-class tanker have left Iranian ports. Four of the vessels transmitted signals indicating their location in the Gulf of Oman, while another was near the Strait of Hormuz on July 9.

Tanker traffic intensified after the U.S. military struck Iran for the second time in two days in response to Tehran’s attacks on commercial vessels. This threatened the fragile de-escalation agreement between the countries. Due to rising tensions, other operators began avoiding risky routes, and traffic through the Strait of Hormuz virtually came to a halt.

This new wave of instability has impacted the global oil market. On July 9, oil prices in London were approaching $79 per barrel, and over the course of the week, they rose by nearly 9%.

The volume of 11 million barrels roughly corresponds to Iran’s weekly oil exports prior to the full-scale escalation. At the same time, it remains unclear whether Tehran will be able to find buyers for these shipments.

Earlier this week, tens of millions of barrels of Iranian oil remained on tankers after the U.S. revoked the sanctions exemption that had allowed Iran to sell oil on the international market.

Oil prices also rose following the exchange of strikes between Washington and Tehran and the reinstatement of U.S. restrictions on Iranian oil exports.

On July 8, the United States reported strikes on more than 80 targets in Iran following attacks on commercial vessels near the Strait of Hormuz. In response, Iran announced strikes on U.S. military facilities in the Middle East.