Iran laid mines in Strait of Hormuz. Now it can’t find them all: Here’s why
Washington has pushed Tehran to quickly reopen the chokepoint and allow more traffic, but Iran says any increase will come with "technical limitations"
Iran’s attempt to choke the Strait of Hormuz has run into a problem: it cannot locate and remove all the mines it deployed in the waterway. US officials told The New York Times that poor mapping and drifting devices have made any quick return to normal shipping unlikely.
The issue is now at the centre of high-stakes talks in Islamabad, where reopening the route has been linked to any pause in hostilities. Washington has urged Tehran to quickly reopen the chokepoint and allow more traffic, but Iran has said any increase would face “technical limitations”, a signal, US officials say, of its inability to clear the waters at scale.
Talks hinge on reopening Strait of Hormuz
Iranian and US teams have reached Islamabadfor peace talks, with shipping access high up on the agenda. Trump has called for the immediate reopening of the Strait as part of a ceasefire. The US delegation is led by Vice President JD Vance.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had said that the strait would be open to traffic with “due consideration of technical limits.” US officials read that as an admission that Iran cannot guarantee safe corridors yet.
Any increase in throughput depends on how fast Iran can identify and neutralise mines or mark reliable lanes.
How mining disrupted shipping
US officials say Iran used small boats to seed mines after the strikes began on February 28, reported NYT. The campaign cut tanker movement and pushed up oil prices. Iran left a narrow path open and allowed ships that paid a toll to pass.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned ships about collision risks, and some local semi-official news organisations have published charts of routes it considers safe. Those routes remain limited, which keeps traffic below normal levels and raises insurance and transit costs.
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Why Iran cannot clear mines quickly
Nautical mine clearance takes much longer than deployment. Officials say crews did not record every placement, and some devices drifted after they entered the water. That makes even known fields unreliable.
The US Navy uses specialised vessels for sweeping, but capacity is limited. Iran lacks the equipment and trained units to clear large areas at speed.
Until clearance expands, Tehran cannot certify broad safe passage through one of the world’s busiest oil chokepoints.
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