The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has paused its plan to evacuate hundreds of ships stuck in the Persian Gulf after a vessel was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz. The attack was carried out by an Iranian drone, according to a US official.
The evacuation plan, developed with Oman, was designed to provide safe passage to vessels in the Persian Gulf that are still unable to transit the Strait. However, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGC-N) has warned that safe passage is limited to routes designated by Tehran.
The IMO decision to pause the evacuation plan comes as traffic was beginning to move through the Strait again amid ongoing peace talks between the US and Iran. The incident has raised concerns about the safety of seafarers and the impact on global trade.
