Iranian Oil Tankers Idled Off Coast as US Blockade Takes Hold

A US naval blockade of Iran is disrupting Tehran's energy exports and depriving it of much-needed revenue, according to a growing flotilla of Iranian oil tankers idling off the country's coast.

As of Tuesday, some 50 laden vessels were anchored along Iran's coastline in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, up from 45 a week earlier and 36 when the blockade was renewed on July 14, according to nonprofit group United Against Nuclear Iran.

The blockade prevents both the export of oil and the return of empty vessels needed for fresh loadings, said Charlie Brown, an adviser to UANI. Tankers are continuing to load LPG and other petroleum products from Iranian ports, suggesting smaller vessels may still attempt to get past the blockade.

Hopes rise for a potential interim deal between Washington and Tehran to free up shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with Qatar saying a proposal had been drafted and both US and Iranian officials sounding optimistic about reopening the critical waterway.