Shipping collapses in the Strait of Hormuz as Iran announces a restricted zone

What the comparison reveals

What everyone says

Maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to its lowest level since May, with the ten-day moving average reaching ten commercial vessels per day on Sunday, according to Kpler data.
Iran, through the voice of General Mohsen Rezaei, announced the upcoming creation of a new 'prohibited zone' starting at the American naval blockade line, where any entering vessel would be placed on a sanctions list.
The United States and Iran are engaged in a series of reciprocal strikes and counter-strikes targeting tankers and ships in the strait and its surroundings, without systematic independent confirmation from each side.

Where it breaks apart

Actual Opening of the Strait — The US Secretary of Energy claims that oil traffic is close to two-thirds of the pre-war level, while Tehran frames the idea that the strait remains open as a 'big lie' and asserts its military control over the area.
Strike on an Unmanned American Ship — Iran claims to have carried out an attack on an American unmanned surface vessel near the strait, a strike that Washington presents as a total fabrication without ever officially confirming it.
Responsibility for the Crisis — The Washington-led coalition condemns Tehran's 'destabilizing activities' as the cause of the crisis, while the Iranian press frames the economic cost of the blockade as the consequence of a US strategic miscalculation.

On Sunday, September 6, and Monday, September 7, 2026, maritime traffic in the Strait of Ormuz dropped to its lowest level since May, following a week of reciprocal strikes between the United States and Iran. According to Kpler, cited by Reuters, the ten-day moving average stood at ten merchant vessels per day on Sunday, down from over fifteen on Friday and nearly thirteen on Saturday. Iran announced the creation of a new restricted zone near the strait. The US command indicated that the Iranian oil tanker M/T Kylo had sunk in the Gulf of Oman, while three tankers changed course after a warning from the Iranian navy. Canada joined the effort led by the United States, France, and the United Kingdom to reopen the strait on Sunday.

The passage remains congested and contested: Tehran promises to expand its control while Washington and its allies demand its complete reopening.

General Rezaei

He denounces a "big lie" by Trump about an open strait, sparing oil tankers for environmental reasons.

The bypass road

A Bassora-Baniyas oil pipeline backed by Chevron, with TotalEnergies on board, aims to make Hormuz "negligible".

South Korea

Seoul says it is consulting the international community on the Hormuz issue, without announcing a military commitment.

Key figures

10 ships/day
Ten-day moving average of traffic in the strait, measured on Sunday
1 source · Mehr News English
96.80 $
Brent price early Monday morning, according to Reuters
1 source · Mehr News English
3 tankers
Vessels that changed course after the Iranian navy's warning
1 source · Mehr News English
21 Mb/day