FT reported on the passage of grain and agricultural cargo ships through the Strait of Hormuz

Iran has allowed limited passage of grain and agricultural cargo ships through the Strait of Hormuz amid the conflict with the United States and Israel, seeking to stabilize domestic food supplies. This was reported on March 21 by the Financial Times newspaper.

"At least six vessels unloaded at the Iranian port of Imam Khomeini, a key commercial center in the northern Persian Gulf, and then passed through the strait in Iran's territorial waters between March 15 and 16," the material says.

According to the analytical company Kpler, five more ships that unloaded at the port of Imam Khomeini have passed through the strategic waterway on a different route since March 9 to reach the Gulf of Oman.

After the actual blockade of the strait, exports from the region declined sharply, which triggered an increase in energy prices. At the same time, Iran, despite its own production, depends on the import of grain and oilseeds needed for food and feed. Amid inflation and water shortages, the authorities have suspended food exports and are increasing supply controls to avoid shortages in the domestic market.

Bottleneck: The Middle East is pushing the US into recession

Conflict is becoming an economic problem

The Strait of Hormuz, which is used for the passage of oil tankers from the Persian Gulf countries, was effectively closed by the IRGC. 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.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.