Overview
- Marine tracking shows the 142-meter Nord left Dubai on Friday, crossed the strait on Saturday, and reached Muscat on Sunday.
- How the yacht obtained clearance is still unknown, though a source close to Alexey Mordashov said Iran and the United States raised no objections and that the route complied with maritime law.
- The Strait of Hormuz handles about one-fifth of global oil flows, yet daily transits have plunged from roughly 125–140 to only a few after Iran curbed traffic and the U.S. began blocking Iranian ports.
- The vessel is tied to sanctioned billionaire Mordashov through a Russian firm owned by his wife, illustrating how layered ownership can complicate sanctions enforcement.
- The passage coincided with high-level Russia–Iran talks in St. Petersburg, a timing that observers say could point to selective access as the two countries deepen ties.