Approximately 20,000 sailors are stranded in the Persian Gulf, with the Iranian military claiming to have regained control of the Strait of Hormuz.

BlockBeats News, April 18th - Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization Kitack Lim stated on the 17th that currently about 20,000 seafarers and nearly 2,000 ships are stranded in the Persian Gulf. He called on all countries to increase diplomatic efforts to support the IMO's initiative to evacuate stranded seafarers in the Gulf region.

Lim urged countries to assist in clearing various hazards in the Strait of Hormuz, such as mines threatening commercial shipping, to provide tangible protection to the shipping industry, including access to insurance at a reasonable cost, in order to resume normal operations as soon as possible.

Earlier on the 18th, according to Iranian media, an Iranian military spokesperson stated that due to the United States "repeatedly violating its commitments," control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous status. The strait is currently under the strict management and control of the Iranian armed forces.