The media reported that Iran escorted an Indian LNG tanker through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranian Navy escorted an Indian tanker with liquefied natural gas (LNG) through the Strait of Hormuz along a pre-agreed route after talks between Tehran and New Delhi. This was reported on March 21 by the Bloomberg news agency.

"Tehran is trying to establish a system to control the movement of ships through the strait, ensuring safe passage for friendly vessels, while others will fear an attack," the article says.

According to the crew member, the ship maintained radio contact with the Iranian military, who clarified information about the flag, route and crew, and indicated a safe course. The tanker became one of two Indian vessels that passed through the strait amid increased shipping controls.

Since the beginning of the conflict in late February, Tehran has been effectively regulating traffic through the strategic artery, allowing friendly vessels through and increasing pressure on the global energy market.

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On the same day, Bloomberg reported that a vessel disguised as a decommissioned Jamal gas carrier had managed to cross the Strait of Hormuz, which is actually under Iranian control.

On March 15, President of the United States Donald Trump appealed to countries dependent on oil supplied through the Strait of Hormuz, blocked by Iran, to ensure the safety of this transport route. He then threatened NATO with a "bad future" if it refused to help unblock the water area.

Later, on March 17, the Axios portal learned about the reluctance of the US allies to join the coalition on the Strait of Hormuz. Trump himself called the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz unfair, because the United States "has already won." The day before, he also announced the imminent completion of the operation against Iran, assuring that "we will not have to wait long."

Denis Astafyev, an entrepreneur and founder of the SharesPro fintech platform, said on March 20 that a sharp rise in oil prices could trigger a recession in a number of the world's largest economies, despite attempts to mitigate the situation with the help of strategic reserves. According to him, the International Energy Agency announced the largest release of reserves in history — 400 million barrels — from 32 countries.

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