US Hormuz Blockade Tested as Sanctioned Tanker Transits

A naval blockade ordered by US President Donald Trump in the Strait of Hormuz has faced a significant challenge. Initially, two oil tankers, including the US-sanctioned "Rich Starry" and the "Austria", reportedly altered their course and turned back from the vital waterway. However, "Rich Starry," a medium-range tanker previously blacklisted by Washington in 2023 for dealings with Iran, subsequently made a successful transit through the strait, reportedly carrying 250,000 metric tons of methanol and testing the effectiveness of the blockade. This event follows the US imposing sanctions on the tanker and its owner, Shanghai Xuanrun Shipping Co Ltd, for transactions with Iran. The International Maritime Organization Secretary-General, Arsenio Dominguez, has stated that no country possesses the right to block the Strait of Hormuz, raising questions about the legality of such restrictions.