US Navy ships are afraid to replenish supplies in Middle Eastern ports because of Iran

Ships of the US Navy have stopped entering Middle Eastern ports to replenish supplies due to the threat of an attack from Iran. This was reported by the Politico newspaper on August 28, citing an informed source in defense circles.

"They can't use any of the ports near Iran that they normally use. Therefore, all replenishment is going on at the Diego Garcia [military base], which is about 2-3 thousand miles away," the source told the publication, assessing the logistical difficulties of the American fleet.

The sources explained that in the event of a potential conflict with China, this problem will become even more acute, since Beijing has a much more extensive arsenal of modern weapons. The situation is aggravated by the fact that Iran and Oman are currently only discussing the parameters of creating a temporary route for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and Tehran directly links the full opening of this important transport artery with the end of the blockade of its ports and the lifting of US sanctions. Due to unresolved political contradictions, the movement of commercial and military vessels through the Strait remains strictly limited today.

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Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz in early March 2026. This has caused global disruptions in the oil, gas and fertilizer trade and has been a disaster for consumers around the world who are facing difficulties due to rising prices. According to the analytical agency Rystad Energy, the blocking of the strait caused an increase in energy prices in the range from 5.8% to 50.4%. In addition, there was a sharp jump in prices for nitrogen fertilizers, in particular for carbamide, the cost of which increased by more than 28% in just three weeks.

The IRNA news agency reported on August 22 that Iran had granted individual tankers with Iraqi oil permission to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz. According to the agency, Iraq exported about 35.5 million barrels of oil from the southern regions in July. This is about three times less than before the escalation of the situation in the Strait of Hormuz, when the volume of supplies reached about 105 million barrels per month.