![On the 7th (local time), tankers anchored off the coast near Oman [Photo: Reuters/Yonhap]](https://contents-cdn.viewus.co.kr/image/2026/03/CP-2023-0070/image-8176fcc7-b556-4109-a671-f8fefce1ec67.jpeg)
Reuters reported on the 25th (local time) that a Thai tanker safely transited the Strait of Hormuz after consultations between Thai and Iranian officials. The development suggests Iran, which had effectively sealed the strait, is beginning to ease restrictions.
According to the report, a tanker owned by state energy firm Bangchak Corporation passed through the Strait of Hormuz on the 23rd after talks between Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow and Iran’s ambassador to Thailand. A source who requested anonymity said Thailand’s foreign ministry also coordinated with Omani authorities on the vessel’s safety through Thailand’s embassy in Muscat.
Bangchak said in a statement that the tanker, which had been anchored in the Persian Gulf since the 11th, has now cleared the strait and is returning to Thailand. Officials at Bangchak and the foreign ministry said there were no financial transactions involved in arranging the passage.
Iran’s embassy in Thailand posted on X (formerly Twitter) that, “Thanks to close cooperation between the two countries and mediation by the Sultanate of Oman, a Thai vessel has safely transited the Strait of Hormuz.” The embassy added, “We value our friendship and will never forget our friends.” Iran’s embassy in South Africa replied, “When we say the Strait of Hormuz is not closed, we mean it,” and noted that “there is always a special place for friends.”
Minister Sihasak said Thailand asked whether Iranian authorities could help ensure safe passage for Thai vessels through the strait. He said Iran replied that it would handle the issue and requested a list of ships planning to transit.
After U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on the 28th of last month, Tehran effectively sealed off the Strait of Hormuz, raising doubts about the safety of tankers and other ships on this key global oil route. Two weeks ago, a Thailand-flagged bulk carrier transiting the strait was attacked, caught fire, and its crew abandoned ship.
Foreign reports say Iran has informed International Maritime Organization (IMO) member states that it will allow non-hostile vessels to transit the strait if those ships coordinate with Iranian authorities in advance—provided the vessels have no links to the United States, Israel, or other states involved in attacks on Iran. In a letter to the U.N. Security Council and the IMO, Tehran said it had taken necessary and proportionate measures to prevent aggressors and their backers from using the strait for hostile acts, and it specified that ships connected to countries participating in U.S. or Israeli aggression do not qualify for innocent passage.
