The peace talks between the United States and Iran have been stuck for a month. On Sunday, President Trump dismissed Iran’s most recent demands as “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” According to Iran’s state broadcaster, the country’s leaders wanted the U.S. to pay war reparations, end sanctions and — crucially — recognize Iran’s sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran’s chokehold on the strait and the U.S. blockade are a source of global economic pain. But the ships occasionally making it out — a Russian oligarch’s yacht, two German cruise ships and the odd L.N.G. tanker — have also become a source of fascination. How did they pull it off? Who is allowed out, and why?
For such a narrow, critical waterway, it’s striking how difficult it is to fully understand what’s happening. Today my colleague Jenny Gross, one of our business reporters, writes about how the strait is offering us a glimpse into the shady world of shipping.
