Hormuz Strait Mine Clearance Could Take Six Months: Report

Darwin, 24 April: A U.S. Pentagon assessment has stated that fully clearing mines allegedly laid by Iran in the Strait of Hormuz could take up to six months, according to a report cited by The Washington Post.

This prolonged timeline could keep global oil prices elevated for an extended period, the report adds.

Since the outbreak of war involving the United States and Israel, Iran has effectively restricted navigation through this vital shipping route, leading to a sharp rise in global oil and gas prices and increased volatility in the global economy.

In peacetime, nearly one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas shipments pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Even after a ceasefire, the waterway remains largely closed, while the United States continues its naval blockade.

According to AFP from Washington, The Washington Post, citing officials, reported that even if the war ends and the blockade is lifted, clearing mines from the strait could still take several months.

The report claims that such operations are unlikely to begin before the conflict formally ends.

In a classified briefing to members of the House Armed Services Committee, lawmakers were reportedly told that the clearance operation could take up to six months.

They were also informed that Iran may have deployed at least 20 mines in and around the strait. Some of these are reportedly GPS-enabled and capable of being remotely controlled while floating, making detection more difficult.
However, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell rejected the report, calling it inaccurate.

He said, “The idea that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed for six months is both unrealistic and unacceptable to the Secretary of Defense.”

Parnell added that although the report was based on a “classified, closed-door briefing,” much of its content was “incorrect.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has already declared around 1,400 square kilometers as a “danger zone” due to suspected mine threats—an area roughly 14 times the size of Paris.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has stated that the Islamic Republic will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz unless the U.S. naval blockade is lifted.

A spokesperson for German shipping company Hapag-Lloyd said last week that ship owners, fearing mines, are still seeking information on alternative safe routes.

At the beginning of this month, during a brief ceasefire, the Strait was partially reopened, but only a very limited number of vessels passed through due to ongoing threats of attacks and mines.

Earlier in April, the U.S. Navy claimed its ships had entered the strait to begin mine-clearing operations. However, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard denied the claim and warned against the movement of military vessels.

Meanwhile, in London, military planners from more than 30 countries have begun discussions on a multinational mission led by the United Kingdom and France to secure safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz after the war.

The proposed “defensive” coalition aims to plan the reopening of the strait and coordinate mine-clearing operations.