The recent surge in commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz could give the US additional leverage in talks with Iran, analysts said.
More than 10 million barrels of oil are flowing through the waterway daily, a US official told Bloomberg, adding that the jump underscores Tehran’s limited ability to control traffic.
The future of Hormuz is hanging over indirect talks in Qatar this week — US officials are making the case that Iran would gain more from a nuclear deal than tolls in the strait. Tehran could also benefit economically from open oil flows: Iran’s chief negotiator said the country didn’t export a single barrel of oil during the US blockade, but has shipped 40 million since it was lifted.
