Hormuz Escape Route Suggests Ships Navigate on Iran’s Terms

A Pakistani tanker earlier this week became the latest vessel to sail out through the Strait of Hormuz by hewing closely to the Iranian coast, suggesting an approved route that points to Tehran’s tightening grip on the narrow waterway — even as the US seeks to assert control.

The Pakistani-flagged Karachi — which openly signaled it was transiting through the chokepoint — sailed through a narrow gap between the two Iranian islands of Larak and Qeshm on Sunday, before tracking the coast into the Gulf of Oman, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. Two bulk carriers which had called at Iranian ports took the same route on Monday morning, broadcasting their whereabouts even as other ships prefer to switch off transponders for safety.