Iran Shipping Update – June 24, 2026

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has issued a broad 60-day authorization, General License X, for Iranian oil exports. This follows a U.S.-Iran Memorandum of Understanding between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran signed by President Trump on June 17, lifting a two month-long maritime blockade on Iranian ports and leading to a resumption of Iranian oil exports. To read UANI’s Statement on the MoU, click here.

General License X

General License X authorizes the production, delivery and sale of crude oil, petrochemical products, and petroleum products of Iranian origin through August 21, 2026. It also permits transactions to be conducted in U.S. dollars for the first time in decades. While Washington has issued limited waivers and technical licenses over the years, including this year with General License U, this is the first broad authorization for the production, sale, transport, financing, and import of Iranian oil since the reimposition of sweeping U.S. oil sanctions in 2019.

The Treasury Department will oversee Iranian funds once released under President Donald Trump’s interim agreement with Iran, according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who stated that the funds would be drawn from frozen assets and monitored by U.S. personnel in Doha to ensure they are allocated for humanitarian purposes, including the purchase of U.S. food and medical supplies. It has not yet been specified what compliance measures or safeguards would be implemented to ensure the funds are used for their intended purposes. Bessent’s comments follow President Trump’s June 23 statement that revenues generated under the framework, including oil-related proceeds, may be placed into escrow accounts subject to U.S. oversight. 

Status of the Strait of Hormuz

Since the start of the Iran War, 51 confirmed maritime incidents involving commercial vessels and offshore infrastructure have been reported across the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman.

Despite the signing of the MoU, the enduring risk and severe congestion and instability across the Persian Gulf’s shipping lanes persists. Prior to the outbreak of the Iran War, about 138 vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz daily. Throughout the conflict, marine traffic data showed growing clusters of loitering vessels on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz, with many refraining from transiting due to safety concerns. Since the signing of the MoU, the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC) has reported a slight increase in open transits through the Strait of Hormuz. On June 20, JMIC recorded 28 transits, the highest daily total since the outbreak of the conflict. So far, however the majority of the transits have been through the northern corridor, through Iranian waters, and the traffic has predominantly been Iran and China-linked. 

Vessel Transits of the Strait of Hormuz (Data Credit: JMIC)

Iranian Oil-Laden Tankers Departing the Gulf of Oman

Since the announcement of the MoU on June 14, UANI has tracked 31 tankers departing the Gulf of Oman laden with Iranian oil and petrochemicals. These exports represent approximately 41 million barrels of Iranian oil, generating an estimated revenue of over $3.5 billion for the IRGC, which continues to fund Iran’s missile and drone programs. These figures are estimates. The pricing and volumes associated with Chinese purchases of Iranian crude are not publicly disclosed, though such cargoes are widely assessed to be sold at a discount of around 10 to 12 dollars per barrel.

On June 24, the tanker IMPALAS (IMO 9171448) transited the Persian Gulf towards the Strait of Hormuz, laden with Iranian crude most likely headed for China. IMPALAS previously loaded 2 million barrels of Iranian crude at Kharg Island, Iran on June 20. 

Tanker laden with Iranian oil transiting the Persian Gulf (Credit: Marine Traffic & ESA Copernicus)

Iranian Oil-Laden Tankers Inside Iranian Waters

UANI has identified at least 55 tankers laden with Iranian oil — primarily crude, but also other petroleum products and LPG — currently operating along the Iranian coastline.   

Map of Iranian oil laden tankers on June 24

Number of Iranian Loadings

Since the signing of the U.S.-Iran MoU on June 17, UANI has tracked at least 8 Iranian oil and petrochemical loadings, two of which originated from Kharg Island, Iran. 

On June 24, four tankers were observed in satellite imagery moored at Assaluyeh Port loading Iranian petrochemicals. An additional tanker, SANAN (IMO 9171462), was moored to a Single Bouy Mooring (SBM) system loading Iranian crude oil.

Tankers loading at Assaluyeh Port on June 24 (Credit: ESA Copernicus)

Iran-flagged Tankers Globally

UANI has also monitored Iran-flagged tankers operating beyond the Persian Gulf. Since the conflict began, at least 32 Iran-flagged tankers have reached Southeast Asian waters bound for the Eastern Outer Port Limits (EOPL) anchorage off Johor, Malaysia. 

Meanwhile, at least 42 Iran-flagged tankers, reporting empty, have begun attempts to return to Iran and from the Malaysian EOPL anchorage and Southeast Asian sea lanes, since the start of the conflict. 

Iran-Oil Laden Tankers off the Malaysian Coast

On June 24, 42 tankers listed on UANI's Ghost Armada were anchored or loitering near the EOPL area with their AIS signals active, demonstrating that ghost fleet tankers continue to operate with impunity across Southeast Asia's sea lanes. 

Iran-Flagged Cargo Ships Globally

Despite ongoing pressure of U.S. OFAC sanctions, approximately 75 Iranian flagged vessels continue to operate openly across sea lanes, ports, and anchorages throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Since the announcement of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the lifting of the blockade, nearly all the Iranian ships outside of the Persian Gulf have begun sailing back to Iran. Meanwhile, more than a dozen cargo vessels have departed Iranian ports for Asia.

Iran-flagged vessels across the Indo-Pacific on June 24 (Credit: Marine Traffic)

Iran-flagged vessels transit towards the Persian Gulf. All the vessels previously anchored off Karachi, Pakistan, including TOUSKA (IMO 9328900), have returned to Iranian waters.  TOUSKA was previously interdicted and disabled by US forces during the blockade but is seemingly operational again.   

Eight Iran-flagged cargo ships are transiting back to Bandar Abbas, Iran.

BEHTA (IMO 9349590) and ROSHAK (IMO 9405966) are transiting the Bay of Bengal westbound. The container ship BEHTA is reporting its destination as Colombo, Sri Lanka, while the bulk cargo ship ROSHAK is listing its destination as Bandar Imam Khomeini, Iran.

The containership ZARDIS (IMO 9349679) arrived at the Trincomalee Anchorage, northwest off Sri Lanka on June 24. Meanwhile, the container ship SHAMIM (IMO 9270658) departed Colombo, Sri Lanka reporting in ballast with its destination listed as Port Klang Malaysia. The container ship RAMA 3 (IMO 9303754) transited the Laccadive Sea and past Sri Lanka, laden, and its destination also listed as Port Klang with an estimated arrival of June 29. RAMA 3 previously departed a Russian Baltic port near St Petersburg on approximately May 26, although it had not been broadcasting AIS while in Russian waters.

Fourteen Iranian-flagged cargo ships have departed Iranian waters and are reporting various destinations in China. 

The Iranian-flagged general cargo ship NEGAR (IMO 9165839) remains anchored in Dar es Salaam. 

The VICTORIA 1 (IMO 9109550) and AYSAN (IMO 9165803) are sailing south, along Omani waters toward the Gulf of Aden. AYSAN is headed for the Suez Canal, Egypt, while the VICTORIA 1 has listed it destination as Dar es Salaam. 

ANDIA (IMO 9193197) is the final Iran flagged vessel left anchored in Malaysian EOPL and broadcasting its location on AIS. BEHNAVAZ (IMO 9346548) departed the anchorage on June 23 and is currently transiting the Malacca Strait, and SHABGOUN (IMO 9346524) left today and is currently transiting the Singapore Strait. 

The Iran-flagged general cargo ship AREZOO (IMO 9165786) transited the South China Sea northbound on June 24, with its destination listed as Haiphong, Vietnam. The Iran-flagged cargo ship AZARGOUN (IMO 9283019) also transited the South China Sea, but is sailing to Zhuhai, China.

The container ship NORA (IMO 9259408) departed the CJK anchorage towards and transited the Taiwan Strait towards Zhuhai Port, China, while SHABDIS (IMO 9349588) remains anchored at the anchorage near Shanghai.

The Iran-flagged bulk cargo ship BATIS (IMO 9465760) is moored at Tianjin Port, China.