Six to eight supertankers idle off Chabahar, Iran’s Gulf of Oman port, just shy of the US blockade line, satellite data show. The cluster follows the Navy’s recent interception of two VLCCs nearby, tightening pressure on Tehran’s export routes. This movement signals Iran’s persistence in shipping crude despite growing restrictions in global oil markets today.

Satellite imagery also captured a 30‑year‑old VLCC, once idle, now steaming west toward Kharg Island, Iran’s main export hub. Analysts estimate 155 million barrels of Iranian crude are in transit or floating storage worldwide, a figure that underscores the pressure on supply chains. With the Strait of Hormuz traffic zero, Tehran faces dwindling storage options today.

Oil traders factor in the tightened blockade as a risk premium, pushing benchmark Brent prices higher by 0.5 % overnight. Iranian state media reports the shipment buildup as a defiant statement, while U.S. officials warn that further interdictions could trigger a decline in Gulf output. Investors monitor whether Tehran can sustain exports without new tankers today.