Russian superyacht safely passes through Strait of Hormuz amid blockade tensions

A Russian superyacht is reportedly seen to cross the Strait of Hormuz, defying ongoing blockade of a key shipping channel in the midst of US-Iran conflict.

As reported by BBC, the luxury superyacht is linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s key allies. In a striking move amidst geopolitical tensions, Nord, 142-m luxury boat linked to sanctioned Russian steel magnate Alexey Mordashov, successfully transited the Hormuz over the weekend. The vessel travelled from Dubai to Muscat, making it one of the rare private ships to pass through the waterway since the start of the persistent blockade.

Mordashov, a key ally of Putin, was hit by western sanctions, including from the US, UK and the EU since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He is also the chairman of Russia’s largest steel and mining company Severstal.

The announcement comes after Iran is diplomatically involved in high-level talks with Russia after the suspension of peace talks with the US in Pakistan.

On Monday, Vladimir Putin hosted an Iranian delegation in St Petersburg. During the meeting with Putin, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi hailed the strategic relationship between two countries and talked about how Iranian people were resisting the aggression and fighting for their sovereignty, as reported by Russian state news agency Tass.

Araghchi wrote on X, "Recent events have evidenced the depth and strength of our strategic partnership.

"As our relationship continues to grow, we are grateful for solidarity and welcome Russia's support for diplomacy."

The blockade of Strait of Hormuz has affected the global energy markets and supply chains as one-fifth of supplies are shipped through this key shipping route.