Navigation in Strait of Hormuz stops after Trump’s remarks about conflict settlement

NEW YORK, May 3. /TASS/. Navigation in the Strait of Hormuz practically stopped on Sunday following US President Donald Trump’s statements on the prospects of settling the conflict with Iran, Bloomberg said, citing ship tracking data. The US leader said on May 3 that Iran’s response to Washington’s proposals on the conflict settlement would hardly be acceptable because Tehran has allegedly not yet paid "a big enough price." Thus, whereas nine ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz in both directions on Saturday, on Sunday, according to Bloomberg, only two Iranian commercial vessels did this. The agency notes that only certain vessels with regional affiliation or the approval of local authorities seem to have access to the strait. Meanwhile, the agency noted that in recent weeks ships have been passing through the strait with their transponders off. Thus, Iranian commercial vessels switch on their transponders only when they reach Southeast Asia. Following Trump’s statement, hopes for for an early return to unrestricted shipping in the Strait of Hormuz have diminished, the agency added.